


Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

by Sleepyheadven



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-08-12 00:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 33,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7913554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sleepyheadven/pseuds/Sleepyheadven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for a few weeks." She revealed brightly with a sheepish smile. </p>
<p>He stared blankly at her in return, unsure if she was being serious or not. Hange was strange, so this being her idea of a practical joke wouldn't be too far off. "What kind of favor is that." He raised a brow in question. </p>
<p>"A big one." She replied lamely, shrugging her shoulders once. "Long story short; my parents are divorcing. My mom is getting remarried next month. And, I need to show up with a boyfriend otherwise my mother won't let me leave. She's convinced I'm going to die alone."</p>
<p>In which Levi and Hange pretend to be in a long term relationship for a few weeks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As soon as her phone began ringing at five in the morning, Hange knew it would be an interesting day. She sleepily pried her eyelids open. The world around her blurred into shapes and colors that consisted of beige and yellows that she knew as her bed covers and window drapes. 

Hange already had an inkling as to who would be calling her so early. Especially considering anyone who was even a mere acquaintance knew of her late night sleeping tendencies. Her mother rarely showed her an ounce of empathy. 

She felt around for the flat device that she knew laid on her old and worn bedside table. She wondered what the harsh woman could have wanted from her this time as conversational phone calls with her were scarce. The ringing stubbornly persisted as she finally grasped the cold metal with her palm. She drowsily slid her finger across the screen in acceptance of her phone call. 

"Good morning, mom." She greeted warmly, her voice still thickly coated with sleep. She furrowed her brow together as she glanced at her alarm clock, quickly doing the math on how many hours she had gotten of sleep. Two and a half - not too bad all things considering, she'd gone through days worse off. 

"Good afternoon, you mean." Her mother's surprisingly light tone corrected. Ah, so it was good news that she'd be delivering, Hange thought in slight relief. No favors or someone in their family falling severely ill, as per usual. 

"Right." She responded, reaching again towards the table to obtain her oval framed glasses. "How are things over there?" She asked casually, slipping them carelessly onto her nose. The shapes and colors took form once more, showcasing her messy room. 

Her mother let out a cheerful giggle at her words. Hange lifted her brow in surprise at the unusual sound. She hadn't heard her mother giggle since her parents' spontaneous move to Paris eight years ago. Oh no, maybe she was calling with bad news - like her father being found unmoving this morning. They hadn't been getting along all that well lately...

"I've got some good news, dear!" She laughed out, cheerful as ever. Here it comes, Hange mentally prepared herself. "Your father and I are getting divorced!" She revealed happily after a moment of silent anticipation. 

Hange paused in thought at her words, expecting to hear that'd she snapped and murdered the man. But, this was certainly unexpected. She'd never imagine her stubborn and prideful mother willingly file a divorce to end their thirty-five-year marriage. "That's... Great news Mom." She breathed out, unsure of how to react. At least she wouldn't be put between their frequent arguments anymore, right? 

"Isn't it just? I'm so relieved to be free from your insufferable father, Hun, you don't have the slightest idea." Hange could practically hear the large grin that was likely plastered across her mother's face. "But there's something else, as well." She spoke a few moments later. 

"...you're not moving back here, are you?" Hange felt dread settling in her stomach at the mere thought of her mother reclaiming the house they had left for her. 

"Oh, God no." Her mother recoiled at her words. Ah, the pretentious life of a France citizen was much too great to even consider the thought of moving back to plain 'ol Washington state. What a shame, Hange thought dryly. "I'm getting married!" 

Hange's couldn't react in time to stop her jaw from dropping at her announcement. Hadn't she just said she was happy to be getting a divorce? "O-oh! That's, um, that's nice to hear. How long have you two been seeing each other?" She queried in genuine curiosity. 

"A year and a half!" Ah, that explains quite a few things, Hange thought in amusement. "The reason I called is because I'm flying you down for the wedding in a weeks time. The actual event won't be until a few weeks but I want you to have some opinions on certain things such as flower settings and differing napkin holders. Plus dress fittings and the like. Oh! And you better bring a boyfriend down here unlike last time, or else." She rambled on much like Hange would herself. 

Hange could only nod along, her still sleep ridden brain not able to do much more than that in her stunned state. She just got the news that her parents were getting a divorce and that her mother had plans to remarry in the span of five minutes. Oh, and that she was required to fly down to Paris at the end of the week. 

"Well, my dear, it was nice talking to you, I'll give you more information later on. My company is needed elsewhere." She giggled out like a love stricken teenager. Hange wrinkled her nose in disgust, not wanting to know the deeper explication that lay beyond the words. 

"Okay, mom. It was nice talking to you. Goodbye." She heard a muffled bye in return before she hung up the phone. She dropped the device to her lap, looking dazedly at it as she attempted to piece together what had just happened in the span of a ten-minute phone call. 

Her mother was acting unusually chipper. Her parents have split apart. Her mother had been cheating on her father for a year and a half now, and she would be getting married at the end of the month. An exceptionally interesting way to start the day, she thought with a dry chuckle. 

She swung her legs over the side of her bed. Not bothering to make it, as she slipped out of the door and into her bathroom across the hall. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay sane if she flew across the country and into her overbearing mother's presence by her lonesome. 

This meant she'd have to be on the lookout for candidates to be her loving significant other so her mother would stop threatening her. A particular person came into her mind, but she brushed it to the back of her head. That would take a whole lot of bribery and convincing. 

However, a plan began to forming in her mind at that very moment, the wheels turning in her head. Or, perhaps not. 

-

The first thing Hange prioritized doing upon walking into her work building was stride up to Levi's desk. She grinned widely as she spotted the grumpy man leaned back in his chair. A to-go cup of tea in his grasp as he scrolled through whatever on his computer. "Good morning, Levi!" She greeted cheerfully, leaning over him. 

He gave a quick once-over before his gaze returned to his monitor in boredom. "Something you need, shitty glasses?" He droned out. 

Hange cleared her throat to catch his attention. "I have a favor to ask you because you're one of my oldest friends and I know I can trust you with anything." She attempted to soften his hard exterior by her flattering words. It hadn't seemed to work. 

"If you need me to come by and clean your house again," he paused as his narrowed eyes scanned the writing on his screen. "The answer is yes because eventually, you're going to suffocate from the extreme amount of dust clouding your lungs." 

She snorted at his over-dramatic response. "No, that's not it. But if I ever do need to you to come by I know the answer now." His eyes flickered to hers, she recognized the brief hint of curiosity swimming in his light orbs. "I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for a few weeks." She revealed brightly with a sheepish smile. 

He stared blankly at her in return, unsure if she was being serious or not. Hange was strange, so this being her idea of a practical joke wouldn't be too far off. "What kind of favor is that." He raised a brow in question. 

"A big one." She replied lamely, shrugging her shoulders once. "Long story short; my parents are divorcing. My mom is getting remarried next month. And, I need to show up with a boyfriend otherwise, my mother will not let me leave. She's actually convinced I'm going to die alone." She huffed out as annoyance flashed across her features. 

Levi remained silent, before hesitantly speaking. "Why would I ever even consider doing this?" 

Hange grinned down at him. "A free trip to Paris, and the experience of joy you'll get by pretending to be in a relationship with me." 

Levi frowned before his gaze turned towards the computer once more. "I'll pass." He said dryly.

"Okay, okay, fine. A free trip to Paris, I'll wash my hair and clean my house every day, and I'll buy you tea anytime you want." She bartered with a soft smile, her eyes hopeful. 

He sighed in defeat, spinning his chair to face her directly. "I'll think about it." He said reluctantly, already feeling dread at his words. This was a terrible idea, he admitted inwardly, but when was he ever going to get the chance to go to Paris? Let alone for free? He could manage to pretend to be Hange's significant other for a week or so, he was certain.

On second thought...

Before he could speak up again, Hange embraced him warmly, enveloping her arms around him completely. He stood frozen under her touch, wanting to push her away but not having the will to. "Thank you, Levi, for even considering to do it." She said sincerely, "you have no idea how much this means to me." She said as she let him go. 

"...yeah, yeah." He brushed her off easily enough, still inwardly flustered from her earlier actions. 

"Lunch in our usual spot, I'll go over things in detail, I promise." She laughed as she began to walk away from him, moving towards ever work area. He watched as she retreated, his eyes distractedly moving towards his monitor. God help him...

A few hours later Hange strode into their usual dining place, smiling in greeting at the hostess. She spotted her close friend near the back of the restaurant, shielded away from any sort of human interaction, as per usual. She slid into her chair, smiling apologetically at him. "Sorry for my tardiness, Erwin wanted to speak to me about a few things. You know how long that takes." She rolled her eyes as she leaned forward on her elbows, brandishing a large smile. 

"He's had a stick up his ass for the past week or so." Levi snidely jabbed, directing his usual bored gaze at the disheveled woman. 

Hange babbled off her order to the waitress, before turning back to him. "So, I'm leaving to Paris in a few weeks apparently. Or, so I was told today at five in the morning, but who knows, I could've very well hallucinated it." She let out a humorless chuckle. 

"Your family will never get any less unentertaining to me." He admitted dryly, watching as she shot him a look of amusement. He couldn't deny that she looked like a mess. There was no doubt that she'd gotten less than three hours of sleep, the bags under her eyes a clear tell. Yet, he couldn't help but think she had a strange sort of charm to her. Mainly her eyes that were highly expressive no matter the state of tiredness. 

"Well, you'd find them even more so entertaining in person, I assure you." She responded, drumming her slender fingers lazily on the table. 

He frowned in thought, pausing briefly. "I don't understand why all of a sudden you care about what your mother thinks about your personal life choices." He voiced his thoughts aloud, watching carefully as her brown eyes swam with a hint of annoyance. 

She sighed as she ran a hand through her locks of hair, making the ponytail messier than it was before. "I don't believe me. But I'd rather not have to deal with the countless amount of French men she probably has lined up for me once I show up single." She let out a heavy breath of air, before continuing. "I just- I need someone to help me cope with all of this, and to make sure I don't snap in anger at anyone. You've done so more than a few times in the past." 

He nodded understandingly, feeling his decision begin to drift towards one side more than the other. "So, you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend? For how long?" 

"A few weeks." She shot him a sheepish look. "It's not like we'll be cooped up throughout, however. I mean, to put it simply, my mother is filthy rich. She'll pay for whatever we want to do, and there's no doubt she'll spoil you endlessly just for the fact you're the first 'boyfriend' I've had in years." 

"So, that means I can order food and tea in Paris as much as I want whenever I want?" He queried, interest piqued ever so slightly. 

Hange nodded slowly. "Yes. So, are you in?" She asked, voice rising in hopefulness. 

Levi gave a deep sigh, before nodding. "Free trip to Paris with unlimited dining funds sounds like a reasonable enough reason to agree, I suppose." 

She gave a loud squeal, igniting others attention to their secluded table. "You're the best, Levi."

"Shut up, four eyes people are staring at us." He said in exasperation, glancing around almost threateningly. 

"That's okay! If anyone asks it's because I just realized I have the best friend in the entire world who's willing to do me the biggest favor of my life." 

Levi remained silent at that, thought his dark scowl remained intact. It would be a long few weeks, that was for sure.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, what's the likelihood of us crashing and dying?" Levi asked flatly without a hint of emotion. His light eyes appearing dull and bored as they remained glued to the window of the plane. It was moments like this that revealed to Hange why people thought of Levi as scary and intimidating.

"Not all that likely." She answered without missing a beat, an amused smile playing on her lips. She let her gaze sweep over his appearance for the first time that morning, having been in a constant state of franticness to do so prior to boarding. His form appeared relaxed as he leaned back into his chair. Black hair parted neatly on his forehead, contrasting with his pale skin. His clothing consisted of a loosely fit white long sleeved shirt and a pair of tight fitting black jeans. Clearly, he had picked out whatever he could find during the early morning rush Hange had put him through.

Hange could admit that he was handsome, she found his rounded cheeks and 'boop' nose as she often put it cute. Cute wasn't a word that came to mind when other people thought of Levi, but he was very much so to her. "You're staring, freak," Levi told her lazily, not removing his gaze from the window. 

Hange tore her gaze away from him to the clouds that drifted by outside the small rounded window pane. "Nothing wrong with admiring the supposed love of my life." She jokingly retorted quickly. Her tone not revealing any sort of embarrassment at being caught gazing at him. 

He shot her a glance, which she returned. "Do you really think your mother's going to buy this shit?" He asked in question, not entirely sure whether or not this was still a good idea. The last thing he wanted was for Hange to face her mother after she realized she had brought along a fake boyfriend. That would make an even bigger mess than if she'd just come by herself. 

Hange nodded confidently, shooting him a look of reassurance. "Don't worry, shorty. My mother won't suspect a thing, trust me." 

Levi scowled at the nickname, but let it slide. "Does this mean every time we're around each other in front of anyone we're supposed to act like fucking idiots?" 

"If acting like idiots means being lovey-dovey, then yes." She answered him, pausing briefing before continuing. "Let's set some boundaries, then?" 

He nodded in agreement, before turning serious. "I'm not going to fake sex noises for your mother to hear." 

Hange wrinkled her nose in disgust, letting out a displeased noise. "God, no. Plus, that won't be needed. She's paid for a hotel room a few streets down from her." 

"Let me guess? One bed." Levi deadpanned.

Hange gave a sheepish look in return, giving him his answer. Levi let out a sigh, leaning his head on the window pane. "Remind me again why I'm doing this?" 

"Because you love me a lot." Hange tried, a soft smile tugged at her lips. 

"Sure, that's it." He gave a look of annoyance as Hange threw a playful smack to his head. She let out a laugh at his expression, smiling at him. Levi couldn't help but pause at the way her eyes lit up. He forced his gaze away from her and towards the window once more.

"How about this - every time I go in to kiss you, I'll ask for your permission by squeezing your hand? You'll just squeeze back to let me know it's alright. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or take you by surprise." Hange tilted her head as she waited for Levi's response. 

"Sure, likewise then." She nodded in agreement. 

They fell into a comforting silence afterward. Levi busied himself by studying the sky outside. His expression appeared somber, but Hange knew he felt uneasy at the idea of being stuck in the same place for eleven plus hours. 

She tried to focus on the book she had brought along with her, but the words held no interest to her. After a mere twenty minutes, the words melded together in a jumbled mess. Her mind being more tired than she previously thought. 

She hadn't slept for the entirety of the night, feeling anxious at the idea of tomorrow. She hadn't actually seen her mother in two years, preferring to distance herself from the over-critical woman. Little jabs and snide remarks about the lack of feminine clothing on her form or how she never dressed her face in makeup had driven Hange far away from her. 

She wasn't the same insecure teenager she'd once been, of course. She had grown thicker skin and had learned to laugh away any sort of remarks that people threw her way. She knew of her capabilities, and she honestly couldn't have cared less about outward appearances. 

She willed herself to keep her eyes open, though they were feeling heavier with each passing second. She gave a tired sigh, snuggling further back into her seat in an attempt to get herself more comfortable. She no longer bothered to fight against the slumber that threatened to overtake her. 

Levi threw a surprised glance to his left as he felt a weight sink onto his shoulder. He looked to see Hange passed out soundly against him. Fucking asshole, he thought in slight annoyance. He strengthened his body, no longer intrigued by the outside sky as his gaze came upon her. 

She appeared peaceful, her mind not racing at one hundred miles per hour as it usually was when she was awake. Her chest rising and falling rhythmically, glasses at an awkward position across her eyes. Levi gently pulled them off her face, not wanting her to break them with her carelessness. The last thing he wanted was the responsibility to guide Hange around, on top of everything else. 

He couldn't explain the softness he felt for the over-eccentric woman. She could get away with poking and prodding him, making fun of him, and calling him short whenever she felt like. He was certain that if anyone else were to do any one of those things they'd receive a harsh punch to the gut. But she'd been different since day one. Hell, he'd gotten on a plane to another country so she wouldn't be alone when she needed someone to comfort her. 

He was in much too deep, he realized.

The thought of the casual hand holding and hugging that would occur once they got off of the plane made him uneasy. He wasn't used to public displays of affection- he wasn't used to affection in general. The most he'd ever lasted in a relationship was a month and a half, and that had been in high school. No doubt it'd be a weird and foreign feeling. One he'd have to adapt to quickly if he wanted to convince others he was actually in a relationship with the brunette. 

He grasped the book that lay limply in Hange's hands, holding up the cover and scanning over it. He made sure not to move the bookmark she had placed before passing out. Opening the front page and reading through it simply due to the fact he had nothing else better to do. 

Hange had woken up a few hours later, and during that time he had gotten through less than half of the novel. She didn't bother hiding her amusement at this. She remarked knowingly that he should have prepared something to keep him busy instead of being a stubborn old man. 

By the time they had finished the long book, (Hange had brought it upon herself to read along with him a little over three hours ago) the plane had landed safely back on the ground. 

A few minutes later and they boarded off. Hange dragging Levi by his sleeve all the while as they grabbed their luggage. Levi looked around the new environment scrutinizingly. His narrowed gaze taking in the hundreds of people in the same position they were in. He scowled in disgust, watching as people sneezed or wiped their nose unhygienically in their hands. 

"There she is, Levi." Hange whispered to him with a stealthy point. "It's late so she's probably exhausted. Just follow my lead, okay?" 

They both took in the sight of the aging woman with graying dark brown hair as they approached her. Hange waved at her, catching her attention immediately. The woman walked towards her, Hange meeting her half way as they embraced tightly. 

She would admit it felt nice to hug her mother after a few years of not seeing the woman. Even despite their frequent disagreements. "You look and smell like you've been on a plane for twelve hours straight." Her mother spoke into her ear. Ah, there it was, Hange thought dryly. 

"Nice to see you too, mom." Hange smiled, pulling away from her mother. Immediately upon doing so, her gaze came upon the man who stood by and watched the entire exchange. "Oh, mom! I'd like to introduce you to Levi, my boyfriend." She grasped onto Levi's hand, pulling him closer. He briefly thought of pulling away before he realized that he was meant to play along. 

Levi could see the slight resemblance Hange and her mother shared. Mainly their eye shape and color, and their skin tone as well. Hange must have gotten everything else from her father, he noted. "Hello, nice to finally meet you." He tried speaking politely, as he reached out his other hand for her to shake. 

Levi had never seen a person light up such as she did upon hearing Hange's words. She took his hand in hers, but not for its original intent. Instead, she pulled him towards her enthusiastically, bringing him into a suffocating embrace. He stiffened, glancing over to Hange for help. She, in turn, smirked knowingly at him as she watched the exchange.

"I thought I'd never see the day!" She cried out over-dramatically. Levi watched as Hange rolled her eyes at her words. The woman pulled back, still holding onto his shoulders as she studied him. Levi resisted the urge to snap at the woman, knowing that it wouldn't make a very good first impression. There was also the fact that he would face Hange's wrath afterward. And she was damn near terrifying when she was angry. 

"Oh, he's so handsome, Hange! What do you see in a girl like her, huh?" She asked jokingly, turning to face Hange with a playful smile. Levi strangely felt a twinge of irritation at her words. Whether her implications were teasing or not. 

Hange let out a faux bolstering laugh, feeling tired of her mother's presence already. "I'm not sure either. Guess I just got lucky." She grinned, though Levi could see right through it. 

"It's because you're a kind, attractive woman who also happens to be one of the most intelligent people I know," Levi spoke easily, feeling the need to stand up for her. What kind of fake boyfriend would he be if he hadn't? 

He knew he made the right choice once he saw the brief look of gratefulness that spread across her features. "Ah, handsome and charming. You've got yourself a good one, dear." She patted Levi on the shoulder. "Well, let's get a moving. This old lady's had a long day." 

Hange grasped Levi's hand in hers, giving him a genuine smile. "Thank you." She mouthed to him as her mother walked ahead. 

He looked away nonchalantly. Absentmindedly listening to Hange's mother babble on about whatever came to mind. Levi noted they were alike in that way as well. "So, how did you two meet, huh? I want details, Han." She said in a sing-song tone of voice. Hange glanced over to Levi, he gave the slightest bit of a shrug in return. 

She cleared her throat once. Feeling relief as they exited the airport and into the chill breeze of the outdoors. "Well, Levi and I are actually co-workers. We've known each other for awhile, and I guess everything just kind of fell into place." She fibbed easily enough, waving her hands as she did so. "I think it was just meant to be, right babe?" She turned her attention to Levi, shooting him a challenging smirk as she squeezed his hand.

"Absolutely." He droned out with missing a beat. Leaning on his tip toes and planting a small peck on her cheek before she could initiate anything. Hange stared wide-eyed at him as they continued to walk towards her mother's car, not expecting the action from the man. Levi didn't bother meeting her bewildered gaze.

She would get him back for that, she thought determinedly. Was this situation meant to be a competition? Absolutely not. Would she make it one? Hell yes, she would.

Once they climbed into the car, the awkward conversations began as Hange noticed there was another figure in the passenger's seat of her mother's car. She presumed the man as her future stepfather. The thought made her feel uncomfortable. "So, Han, this is my fiancé Nick." 

"Nice to finally meet you. Your mother talks about you all the time." He said in a strange tone of voice that neither Hange nor Levi could decipher. Hange sent Levi a knowing look. 

"I wish I could say the same, Nick." She commented collectively, watching tentatively as her mother's expression flickered in exasperation. She leaned back in her seat, noticing how she and Levi's thighs pressed against each other casually. 

Silence hung heavily in the air, Nick cleared his throat once in a poor attempt to brush it away. Levi raised a thin eyebrow at the brunette woman, seemingly unimpressed by her behavior. "So what kind of themes are we looking at for the big day, huh?" Hange drifted the conversation to a different topic, feeling slight guilt at her snarky remark. 

Elizabeth brightened at the question, fingers excitingly tapping on the steering wheel. "I'm leaning more towards rustic chic, honestly. My mind isn't completely made up, though! There's just so many other different things to do nowadays." She keenly spoke, eyes bright as they looked onward. 

"You know, dear, this should be you planning out a wedding, not me." She voiced non-caringly, sparing her daughter a glance in the rear view mirror. The man seated next to her let out a hearty chuckle, she joined in with a series of giggles. Both Levi and Hange hadn't found anything the woman said humorous, remaining blank-faced throughout. 

"Yeah..." Hange trailed off. Not bothering to reason that she led a successful and happy life without the need for matrimony. She knew her mother well enough to know she'd just be wasting her breath. "How far are we away from the hotel?" She questioned, feeling her exhaustion catching up to her.

The balding man took it upon himself to answer her question. "A few more minutes, at least." 

She dropped her head to the seat, turning towards her monotonous friend, observing his actions with a curious gaze. He almost looked childlike as he took in the scenery they were whipping past. Outsiders wouldn't be able to tell of course, but she could see the admiration in his narrowed eyes. 

"Pretty, right?" She smiled softly at him, speaking in a hushed tone so the two front passengers wouldn't hear. Although they seemed thoroughly engaged in their own conversation.

He gave a low grunt in response, which she took as a yes. His eyes trailed away from the window to meet her gaze, heavy shadows lay beneath his eyes. It was no secret to her that he struggled with insomnia quite frequently, they were alike in that way. "You look like shit." He told her bluntly, tone low to match that of hers. 

Hange snorted in amusement at the insult. "You're not looking so handsome yourself, short stuff." She retorted back with a cheeky smile. 

"Here's your stop, kiddies!" Hange bit her tongue to stop from reminding her mother that she was twenty-nine years old. "The room reservation is under your name, Hun. Goodnight you two, I'll call you in the morning for you both to meet me for breakfast." She yelled over her shoulder as the two adults climbed out of the car, retrieving their luggage that sat in the trunk.

Hange waved goodbye as they drove away speedily, leaving them in front of a beautiful hotel. "He's... creepier than I'd thought he'd be." She admitted with a half shrug, pulling her bag towards the entrance. 

"You're mother treats you like trash, four eyes." He stated flatly. He lifted the heavy bag over his shoulder, matching his pace to walk alongside the taller woman. 

Hange spared him a glance as they entered the chilled area of the hotel lobby. Making her way towards the small line for the front desk. "She's been that way since I can remember. I don't care what she thinks about me anymore, I know who I am and I'm happy with that." 

Levi remained quiet as Hange got the keys for the hotel room and remained that way as they made their way upstairs. Hange threw open the door, feeling sluggish as her limbs grew much too heavy for her to move anymore. She spotted the queen sized bed in the middle of the room. Just as she suspected. 

"You're not going to protest like the gentleman you are and sleep on the floor, are you?" She quirked an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She plopped down lazily on the soft mattress that dipped under her weight. 

Levi placed his bags on the floor. Eyes narrowing and analyzing the entire area to see if it met up to his extremely high standards. He ran a slender finger over the edge of a nearby dresser, inspecting it closely. He hummed lowly in approval, dropping his hand down to his side. "If you're uncomfortable with me sleeping in the same bed as you, then you can have the floor." 

She chuckled sleepily, patting the space beside her invitingly. "Come on over, babe." She slurred out as her eyes began to close. She toed off her shoes, not bothering to change out of her t-shirt and sweats. "I gotta warn you, though, I love to cuddle." 

Levi made a soft 'tch' noise, gathering a few of his things from his bags before he retreated to the bathroom. He returned after a quick shower, his hair still a bit damp as he came across a sprawled out Hange. 

He carefully placed himself as far away from the woman as he could, feeling a relief as his head hit the softness of the hotel pillow. Traveling was rough, and acting like a different person sucked dick, he thought tiredly. He only got a small taste of it earlier, and to think he had a few more weeks to go of this. 

He felt his eyelids grow heavier with each passing second, for once he didn't feel the need to fight against it. The last thing he recalled upon falling asleep was the smell of Hange's shampoo and the light snores that drifted from her mouth. 

~

Levi was awoken by a hand slapping him harshly across the face. 

He seethed in anger as his eyes flickered open. Immediately coming upon the perpetrator who was still very much asleep. A small trail of drool escaped her lips as she snored quietly, now comfortably laying on her side facing him. 

The distance between them had somehow become a lot closer than he remembered upon falling asleep. Their faces now lay inches apart from each other. Levi scowled, still peeved from the rude awakening as he shook her awake. 

She started with a startled mumble, eyes wide and searching for what he was unsure. "Oi, you're a fucking animal." He droned out, flicking her forehead with his index finger to annoy her. 

"And you're a dick for waking me up." She mumbled back, tugging on his hair and roughly shoving his head face into the mattress. He growled lowly, smacking her hand away. 

"You're the one who slapped me." He spoke muffled out. She let go of him, watching with blurred vision as he sat up and fixed his hair back into its once neat state.

"I'm sorry." She apologized half-heartedly, letting out an amused chuckle. "We've got a big day ahead of us, huh honey Buns?" Levi seemed repulsed at the new nickname. 

"When are we supposed to meet your wicked witch of a mother?" Levi asked, his deep voice coated heavily with sleep. Hange brushed away the impulsive thought that he sounded very attractive in the morning. 

Hange shrugged her shoulders once. She gestured for Levi to hand her her glasses and cell phone which both lay on the table beside his head. Once he did, she slipped her glasses hastily up her nose and flicked on her phone. 

Three texts messages from her mother was what awaited her. All of them telling her to meet her in an hour. They were received an hour ago. "Well, I mean, we're supposed to be meeting her at this very moment." She looked up sheepishly. Levi appeared exasperated at her words. 

"Let's get going then, four eyes." He sighed out, beginning to climb out of bed. 

Boy, did they have an eventful day in front of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update, woo!
> 
> I deal with a lot of people in my life that are similar to Hange's mother in this story, and I know how annoying and draining it can be. Whether or not they play it off as a joke, it eventually gets to you. 
> 
> I actually have the next three chapters written down, they just need to be edited. I'll probably update Tuesday! That being said, thank you all so much for your kudos and comments, even for just viewing it. It makes me super motivated to write! <3


	3. Chapter 3

They walked hand in hand down the block just in case anyone saw them. Making their way to the tiny cafe Hange's mother had directed them towards through text. "God, it's so pretty around here." Hange marveled breathlessly, scanning the area with widened eyes. 

"Noisy as hell, too," Levi noted blankly. Shooting the woman a questioning look as she stopped moving in the middle of the sidewalk. She hastily pulled out her cell phone, holding it up to her face. 

"Let's take a selfie! Smile, grump!" She grinned widely, Levi stared in dismay at the camera watching as she snapped a picture. Truly a memory to remember forever, he thought dryly. 

"What should my caption be?" She wondered out loud, beginning to move once more, her gaze glued on her phone screen. She easily ducked in and out of people's way without so much as looking up. 

"Currently contemplating my life choices." Levi suggested flatly, matching his pace to walk beside the brunette. Hange gave him an amused glance, shaking her head at him. 

"Looks like we're here!" She announced, looking up at the sign with a studious gaze. "Ready, my love?" She asked lightheartedly, opening the door and allowing him to walk in first. 

Levi spotted the older woman sitting in the midst of other tables, waiting for them to arrive. Hange walked ahead, greeting her mother with a warm smile and a wave as she sat down across from her. Levi gave her a nod of acknowledgment, moving to sit down next to his faux significant other. 

"Good morning, mom." Hange breathed out happily. Levi noted that she never put on an act around the woman to impress her or trick her into thinking she was an entirely different person. She seemed comfortable being herself, for the most part. She just couldn't handle the woman's presence alone, which was the need for him being there. Also so that she could avoid her mother setting her up on a date or two apparently. 

"Good morning, sweetie, and good morning to you too Levi. I took it upon myself to order for you if that's okay. Something light for you, Han, because you're looking a tiny bit heavier. And of course, a man can't go without a proper hearty breakfast, right?" She spoke with a bright expression. 

Hange didn't seem phased at her words, Levi noted while watching her expression closely. He could admit that he felt peeved at her mother's jab, her daughter was as thin and lanky as a stick. "Sounds great." Hange nodded, shooting Levi a quick glance in reassurance. 

"How'd you guys sleep, huh? The hotel is gorgeous, isn't it?" She said enthusiastically, "Nick and I used to stay at it all the time." Hange inwardly grimaced at her nonchalant words, not wanting to know the details of her mother's love life. 

"Yeah, it was pretty nice. It met Levi's clean standards as well, which is a miracle in itself." She teased lightly, letting out a small laugh at Levi's stoic demeanor in response.

"I'm glad! So, what do you guys have planned for the day?" She asked conversationally, taking a sip from her water. 

Hange looked to Levi for a response, to which he shrugged. "We're not entirely sure yet." She said unsurely, trailing off. "What are you going to be up to today?" She asked curiously. 

"My friend Carla who just recently moved here is going coming over to help me with some things. Nothing too interesting yet." She waved her hands in a dismissive matter. "You're aware that I'm taking you for dress fittings tomorrow, right?" 

Hange looked dreading before masking it. "I am now." She said as the waitress placed their food in front of them. Her mother spoke a simple merci, before turning towards her daughter and her boyfriend once more. 

"So, Levi, I notice you've been awfully quiet. Tell me a bit about yourself?" Elizabeth started kindly. Hange busied herself by shoving a forkful of food in her mouth, trying to hide her small bout of laughter. 

"Well, what would you like to know?" Levi asked smoothly, meeting her gaze as he placed a napkin neatly in his lap.

"Well, where'd you grow up? Have you been married before, any children perhaps? What's your favorite holiday?" The woman threw him question after question, a small smile tugged at her lips. 

Levi inwardly thought that each question became more pointless after the other. He forced himself to push away the uncomfortableness of sharing personal life details with a near stranger, continuing on. "I grew up in New York, moved to Seattle when I was old enough too. Never married, and definitely no kids." He hid his distaste easily, opening his mouth to speak again but Hange interrupted him first.

"And his favorite holiday is spring cleaning." She giggled out, seemingly entertained by her own joke. She also stealthily stole a forkful of his food while her mother wasn't looking, shoving in her mouth hastily. 

"Ah! I as worried that you were recently divorced battling for custody over a few children. you know, it's rare for someone Hange's age to find a guy that's never been married." She hummed out, humored.

"Not rare enough, I guess." Hange retorted back easily, shooting an exasperated glance at Levi. 

"Well, I'm just happy that my-" a blaring ringtone cut her off suddenly. She gave an apologetic look as she put it to her ear, accepting the phone call. "Hello?" She answered.

"Oh no, are you sure you don't have anyone?" She sighed in disappointment, her once happy facial expression now dropping dramatically. 

"What's wrong, mom?" Hange piqued up, feeling slightly concerned at her mother's mannerisms. 

Elizabeth held up a finger, telling her to hold on a moment. She lifted the phone from her ear, holding it a few inches away from her face. "Carla's not going to be able to make it today, her sitter canceled on her." 

Hange appeared thoughtful for a moment, and Levi knew exactly what was about to happen. He was sure he wouldn't be able to protest before she could do so. "Well, how about we watch him for a few hours." Hange suggested slowly. Levi shot her a stealthy glare, which she choose to ignore.

Her mother visibly brightened at her, a grin spreading across her face rapidly. "Carla, my daughter just offered to watch him for a few hours! Would that be okay with you?" She giggled happily as the woman on the other line appeared to agree to the arrangement. 

Levi continued glaring at Hange throughout as they finished up their meals. Luckily her mother hadn't been paying much attention otherwise there'd be an awkward conversation.

~ 

An hour later and they had arrived at the boy's house. 

His mother, an aging woman with dark hair and warm eyes rushed out of her home, greeting the pair with a thankful demeanor. "Hello, there. I'm Carla Jaeger, you must be Hange and Levi. Thank you so much for agreeing to watch my son." She introduced herself softly. 

Hange responded with a kind smile of her own, nodding her head. "Nice to meet you! I'm happy to do so if it means you're keeping my mother happy and preoccupied." She told her jokingly. "So, how old is he and what's his name?" 

"Eren. He's five, but he likes to act as if he's much older. I'm warning you now, he's very temperamental, and he's prone to tantrums when I'm gone. I'll only be an hour or two, I promise." The woman started as she heard Hange's mother honking the horn impatiently. She shot her an apologetic smile, moving to bound down the stairs that trailed from her home. 

"Call me if anything." She said over her shoulder as she climbed into the small car. The pair watched with wary gazes as they drove off. 

"I can't believe you fucking dragged me all the way out here to watch an angry brat, four eyes." He scowled darkly at her, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Hange gave a small sigh, her expression showing disdain. "It's either this or putting up with my hysterically crying mother for the entire day." She pointed out. "Besides, I'm sure we can take care of a child for a few hours, Levi." She tried convincing not only the annoyed man; but herself as well. 

"You can barely take care of your damn self." He huffed out, moving to grasp the door handle. He swung it open carelessly, only to reveal a wide-eyed little boy with striking green eyes standing behind it. His hands laying limply by his sides as he stared up at the two adults.

Levi gave him an unimpressed stare. "It's impolite to listen to other people's conversations." He told him matter-a-factly. Hange stepped inside of the home, observing the environment before kneeling down to Eren's height and giving a comforting smile.

"Ignore him, he's harmless I promise." She advised the child who glanced towards the man once more before turning his gaze back to her. "I'm Hange, and he's Levi. We're going to be watching you for a couple hours." She explained calmly, standing to her full height once more. 

"I'm hungry." He told them calmly, the uneasiness fading from his orbs.

Hange hesitated, looking to her friend for help. What did children like to eat? She wondered inwardly. The length her cooking skills went up to was scrambled eggs or pasta, that was it. She survived off of take-out more often than not. "...Show me to your kitchen, then!" She tried to show confidence. 

Levi let a small smirk tug at his lips, seeing right through her act. He was curious to see what would transpire as they both followed the hyper little boy into the modest looking kitchen space. "What are you planning on making him, Hange?" He asked as he plopped himself down on a stool, leaning on the small island space. 

Hange rummaged through the fridge aimlessly, before pulling out a jar of jam and reaching behind her to grab a few slices of white bread. Levi inwardly snorted at her choice, knowing that messing up toast and jam would be nearly impossible. But he knew couldn't count out her terrible culinary skills just yet, she would find a way. 

"This good, Eren?" She asked the little boy, waiting for his approval. Once he nodded eagerly, Hange popped the two slices of bread in the toaster, turning around in the meantime to face the two boys.

"You're Elizabeth's daughter? Momma said you are." Eren questioned with a head tilt. Hange noted that his mother must have a really hard time denying him of anything with those eyes and actions. 

"I am." Hange confirmed with a nod of her head. "How do you know my mom?" She asked the little boy, surprised that her mother socialized with children at all, or people with young children for that matter. 

She constantly reminded Hange of how much a burden or nuisance kids were - especially at a young age. People should be out living their lives instead of staying home and feeding a newborn, as she often put it. Hange never ceased to feel uneasy at those rants. It wasn't her fault she was brought into the world, but she was fully aware that she was an unplanned surprise. 

"She comes over all the time." Eren smiled cheekily at her. "She's weird, though." He added as an afterthought, Hange snorted at the small remark. She'd have to agree with that. 

"Hey, sir." Eren turned to Levi, who unwillingly turned his head towards the young boy, not wanting to partake in the conversation. "Are you and Hange married?" He asked innocently, Hange stiffened as she began spreading jam across the toast. 

Levi paused, unsure of what to say. He knew if he told the little boy that they weren't involved in that sort of way that he'd most likely tell his mother, who in turn would tell Hange's mother. "No, we're not." He answered after a few moments. "But she is my girlfriend." He added after a second, watching as the little boy hummed thoughtfully. 

Hange placed the plate of food in front of him, taking a seat across from him. "So you love each other?" He queried lightly. 

"Yes, we love each other." Hange almost felt bad lying to the innocent child, but she continued on anyway. She was dragging everyone into her scheme, she realized grimly. Levi, Eren, Carla, Nick, her mother. (Who was less important considering she was the reason she was driven to do this in the first place). 

"Then why were you two arguing outside?" 

Levi and Hange froze in their places, surprised that he had managed to hear that much of their conversation. "Couples argue all the time." Levi recovered. 

"Just because we had one little disagreement doesn't mean we'll stop loving each other." Hange added on. Eren furrowed his brow in thought at her words. 

"Yeah, but you don't look like a couple. You're not holding hands, or sitting next to each other." He pointed out smartly. 

Levi stood from his spot, and in annoyance plopped down beside Hange to prove a point. "Are you happy?" He asked with a raised brow, softly grabbing onto Hange's hand and bringing it onto his lap. 

"You should kiss her now! That's how my parents always make up." Eren suggested happily, munching on his piece of toast. 

Hange's stomach swirled nervously at the aspect of kissing the man for the first time. She searched his eyes for any hint of uneasiness or displeasure at the idea but found none. Only slight irritation at what she assumed was Eren for forcing them into the situation. 

She squeezed his hand, awaiting his response. A few seconds later she felt him do the same. She leaned forward quickly wanting to get this over with. She was sure after the first time that things would only get easier from there on out. 

She felt his breath brush against her tanned cheeks before she felt her lips softly press against his. Her eyes heavily lidded but not fully closed. She felt her cheeks grow increasing warm as she felt herself want to repeat the action once more once they pulled away. She forcefully leaned away from him, not wanting to get caught up in the moment.

She couldn't decipher the look in Levi's eyes before he quickly masked any sort of emotion, putting on a bored facade as turned towards Eren. "See, we're all made up now." 

The taste of his lips lingered on her own stubbornly. She swallowed, sitting up straighter in an attempt to recompose herself. "You guys are cute together." Eren complimented with a small smile. 

"Thanks." Hange responded to him with a small smile, watching as he continued to eat. They sat in silence after that, no one bothering to talk unless it was Eren with a question or two.

This little boy was proving to be more of an obstacle than her mother, so far. 

Soon, they retreated into the living room. Eren insisted they watch the 'best movie ever' which turned out to be The Minions. Hange leaned on Levi in boredom, while Levi quietly cursed the small yellow beings and their grating voices. 

"How does he watch this kind of stuff?" Hange groaned out in a hushed tone, her head placed comfortably on Levi's shoulder. They knew they had to keep on a strict act for Eren who would shoot questions at them rapidly if they hadn't. 

"Maybe this is why he's so angry all of the time." Levi muttered back, his fingers drumming absentmindedly on his thigh. Hange let out a small laugh, shaking her head as softly at him.

"Is it bad that I'm in France and all I wanna do is go to bed?" Hange asked with a small yawn. 

"It's because we're stuck in a strangers house watching this fucking monstrosity of a movie." Levi sighed, uncrossing his legs and turning his attention to the brunette. 

"I have to go dress shopping tomorrow!" Hange whined, burying her head further into Levi's shoulder "I don't wanna go."

Levi flicked her forehead with his index finger. She responded by whining even louder. Eren was too invested in the animated film to take notice of their childish shenanigans. "She's gonna drive me to the brink of insanity, and you're not even going to be there for me." Hange sighed, closing her eyes and thinking about the nightmare that would occur at the dress shop. 

"Don't be a goddamn brat, four eyes. If it bothers you that much say something." Levi rolled his eyes, tugging on her ponytail absentmindedly. He wasn't sure when this act of casual touching had begun if he were being honest. They were constantly grazing each other, whether it be hand holding, playful gestures or Hange cuddled up against him like she was now. 

It seemed far too natural to slip so easily into an act like they had. It felt like second nature to the both of them, even the small kiss they had shared earlier hadn't felt awkward or strange in any way. "You weren't raised by her, you have no idea what's she's actually like. You've only gotten a small taste." 

"And I honestly hope it stays that's way." Levi droned out. Their light conversation was interrupted as footsteps sounded from behind them. They both snapped their heads towards the sound. 

Carla and Elizabeth both walked through the door, all light smiles and cheerful giggles. "Well, look at you two being adorable," Elizabeth commented teasingly. Levi carefully unwound his hand from the woman's ponytail as she moved away from him to greet her mother. 

"I see he made you sit through Minions, huh? I'm so sorry." Carla apologized with a soft laugh. 

Hange dismissed her comment with a light hand gesture. "He was fantastic, hardly even made a sound the entire time we watched him." Hange fibbed easily enough, standing to her feet. A quick thought passing through her mind that she missed the warmth Levi had provided. 

Carla seemed surprised at her words, her face falling into an impressed expression. "Wow, you two must be magic then. I can barely get him to sit still for ten minutes, let alone two hours." Eren finally acknowledged his mother being home as he bounced onto the couch and off into his mother's waiting arms. 

Levi stood next to Hange as they bid their goodbyes to Eren and his mother. "I'm sorry for ruining your day. You both probably had a day planned full of romantic sightseeing." Elizabeth apologized halfheartedly as they retreated down a few steps. 

Hange knew full well that she wasn't the least bit sorry - not that they had plans anyway- her mother always came first in her world. Anyone else's thoughts and problems were disregarded when it came to the older woman. "It's not a big deal, we've still got a couple weeks for us to do whatever we want." 

"Besides, it looks like it's going to rain soon, anyways." Levi noted as he looked towards the cloudy sky. 

"Well, I'll drop you two off anywhere you want to go." She offered politely, jiggling her keys in her grasp as she opened the door to her car. 

"What's a good restaurant nearby our hotel room?" Hange questioned as she slipped into the backseat, Levi following suit. 

"I know just the place!" She said as she drove off, harshly slamming her feet down on the pedal. Hange winced at her recklessness. They made a sharp turn and she was practically thrown into Levi's lap. 

She definitely deserved the biggest meal she could order knowing what would occur tomorrow. Also a drink or two, maybe three...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the editing on this is super rushed but I wanted to get this out before tomorrow because I have a suuuper busy week ahead of me.
> 
> so, if this chapter seems half-assed, or anything it's because of that. We'll start getting into more into levihans relationship soon, as well as the introduction of some characters. :D Thank you all for viewing, kudos, and comments.<333


	4. Chapter 4

"Levi, fuck, hold on, Levi!" Hange yelped, words slurred and under the influence of the alcohol she had downed just an hour before. They walked down the street, towards their hotel room. Hange tripping and losing her balance every other minute, while Levi hardly felt any effects from the few drinks he had. Although he wished he did. 

 

She leaned against the black street lamp, feeling dizzy and disoriented. She felt the cement beneath her feet shift aimlessly. "I'm gonna throw up." She forced out chokingly, hands clutching her stomach. 

 

Levi huffed out a sigh, walking back towards her slowly as he watched her vomit up the contents of her stomach - the dinner that they just had included. She let out a sniffle, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Disgusting, he thought inwardly with a light scowl. "Are you feeling better now?" He questioned blankly, she shrugged lazily in response. 

 

"I can't walk, Levi, the world is spinning!" She exclaimed loudly. 

 

"Shush, four eyes it's late, people are sleeping." He scolded her, moving forward and grasping her forearm. 

 

"Are you gonna murder me? I can practically feel the radiance of annoyance coming from you." Hange pondered out loud, dragging her feet as Levi guided her down the street once more. He was certain that they were only a block away by now. 

 

"I'm honestly debating it." He responded dryly, watching as she stumbled her feet once more. She shivered softly, feeling the chilled night air graze her exposed skin. 

 

"I'm sorry for making your life so hard." She frowned in thought, turning her gaze towards him. She studied his masked expression but felt too disoriented to make anything of it. 

 

"You don't." He sighed out. She was becoming an emotional drunk. Hopefully, she wouldn't burst out into tears in the middle of the street. 

 

"But I do." She protested in tears. Here it comes, Levi thought dreadingly. "I'm so sorry." She wailed out, draping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his shoulder. Goddamnit. 

 

At this point, Levi could make out the outlining of the building they were staying at, much to his relief. He moved one of the woman's arms around his neck and over his shoulder, practically dragging along her dead weight at this point. "Can you stop crying?" He requested flatly. 

 

She sniffled deeply a few times, seemingly coming back to her senses a bit. "I wanna go to bed." She whined out softly.

 

Levi didn't bother talking to her in this state, carrying into the hotel elevator. She leaned away from him, and onto the siding of the contraption, finding comfort in the cool metal. Levi dug in his pocket, opening the camera app and snapping a picture for future blackmail opportunities.

 

He retrieved the keycard from her pocket, swiping it and swinging the door open. He dragged the woman inside, guiding her towards the bathroom. "Go brush your teeth." He ordered sternly, shoving her in the small space. 

 

In the meantime, he changed out of his clothes, and into a pair of sweats and a loose black t-shirt. He wondered back into the bathroom, seeing Hange messily brushing her teeth. He eyed her warily, grabbing his own toothbrush and toothpaste and beginning to do the same. 

 

"You're a good friend, Levi." She slurred out, toothpaste dribbling down her chin. 

 

Levi shook his head at her, "spit, you fucking idiot." He told her, watching as she did so. She wiped her face as well, popping back up and grinning at him. 

 

"All clean, are you proud of me?" She questioned, Levi nodded his head as if communicating with a child. 

 

"Go get changed." He pointed towards the door, giving a gentle shove towards it. She laughed loudly for what reason he wasn't sure.

 

A few minutes later, he walked out of the bathroom, only to see the woman sprawled out on the floor. Her face smashed into the carpet, drool and light snores drifting from her open mouth. 

 

Levi gave a sigh of disappointment at the sight, kneeling down and picking her up bridal style. He noted that she was heavier than he thought she'd be, as he walked over the mattress and threw her onto it. She stirred at the rough treatment, before nuzzling into the pillows happily. 

 

Levi grabbed the boots that were clad on her feet, peeling them off one at a time before plopping down on the bed himself. The entire day had brought exhaustion upon him. He babysat both Eren and Hange, the latter being more difficult than the actual child. 

 

He knew the woman was having a tough time in general so he couldn't help but let her get away with it. Tomorrow she would have to deal with her mother's constant jabs, no doubt, seeing as they were going dress shopping for the day. He wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to get plastered once again upon coming back to the hotel. 

 

He let out a soft yawn, closing his eyes briefly before opening them once more. He turned on his side, facing towards the eccentric woman. His gaze softened as he came across the peaceful expression plastered across her face.

 

It was almost unsettling how different she appeared while she was asleep. She lay still as a statue through the night. The only thing indicating her being alive was the soft breaths she let out every few seconds.

 

He felt his eyes falling once more, unable to stay awake much longer. For the second night in a row, he fell asleep into a dreamless slumber without any sort trouble.

 

-

 

"I don't like this one. It makes you look too tall." Her mother commented thoughtfully, gesturing for her to swirl around so she can see the back as well. 

 

Hange resisted the urge to glare at her mother in exasperation. This was the tenth dress she had tried on in the past thirty minutes, each one having a differing issue. Too tight, too loose, it made her look too thin, too short, too long. 

 

Her mother shoved yet another dress in her arms, this one a pretty rose gold color. She silently pleaded that this one would meet her mother's high standards as she strutted back into the dressing room. She slipped off the tight dress ungraciously, wiggling her body to do so. 

 

She examined the dress which was admittedly beautiful. But, she couldn't picture herself actually wearing it. She felt alienated trying on such feminine clothing. She knew she didn't exactly have the proper curves to fill out the clothing, and she was fine with that. however, she still felt uncomfortable in the clothing. It had never been her forte, she had always preferred ripped jeans and band t-shirts as a teenager. Much to her mother's dismay. 

 

The dress was long enough so that it grazed the floors of the shop. completed with a sweetheart neckline, a pleated lace bodice, and a cascading ruffle on the chiffon skirt. She slipped on the clothing, relishing in the way the silk material grazed her exposed skin. She flatted the skirt as she gazed at herself in the mirror, feeling foreign as she did so. 

 

She definitely thought this one was the prettiest. Hopefully, her mother would think so as well. 

 

Hange picked up her phone, feeling a playful smile tug at her lips as she opened up the camera app. She posed, crossing her eyes and poking out her tongue as she snapped the photo. She opened up her messaging app, sending the picture to Levi. 

 

[Hange] Do I look pretty? 

 

It took a few seconds for him to respond. She distantly heard her mother scolding her to hurry up, but she ignored the woman.

 

[Levi] You look like you've been through hell. 

 

[Hange] Pretty accurate. :P

 

She threw her phone on the chair that resided in the corner of the room, opening the door and greeting her mother with a smile. "What do you think?" She asked, twirling before she could ask her to do so.

 

Her mother hummed, stepping up to her and tugging the bodice to see if it fit comfortably. "Well, you don't have the perfect figure for it, but the dress is gorgeous by itself so it'll have to do." She grinned, eyes bright as she smoothed down the material. 

 

Hange managed to hold the breath of relief that threatened to escape her throat. "So you like it, then?" She asked, wanting to confirm.

 

"Absolutely, darling. Maybe you should start a juice cleanse, though." Her mother hummed thoughtfully, winking as she did so. Hange wrinkled her nose at the unpleasant thought.

 

"Yeah." Came Hange's awkward response. "So, can I change out of it now?" Her mother nodded, gesturing for her to go while calling for the employee in the shop. 

 

By the time Hange had gotten redressed in her tight fitting black jeans and pale yellow button up, her mother had already purchased the gown. It sat protected in a black thick plastic cover, Hange grabbed it from her mother. "Where are we off to next?" Hange questioned curiously, stepping out of the shop and looking over her shoulder to her mother. 

 

"Well, I have a few wedding magazines in the car." Her mother told her as she opened the car door, slipping in easily, Hange following in tow. "Let's head over to a quiet café I know, and we can talk about some things I want your opinion on." She said as she turned on the ignition. 

 

"So, how'd you find a guy like Nick? Like, how'd you two meet?" Hange queried, finally getting the chance to ask the questions that were burned in her mind. She couldn't believe her mother had gone and had an affair. She thought her parent's marriage had been okay for the most part, even with frequent arguments. 

 

"He's actually your father's close friend, or, used to be I should say." Hange frowned, in disbelief her mother had cheated on her father with his best friend. Although she had a... Unique personality, she had never taken her as the type. "He used to come over for dinner occasionally, and one night your father ran late. The rest is history." 

 

"How is he? Dad, I mean." Hange hesitated to ask, but she wanted to know. She was sure he wouldn't be too heartbroken if she were being honest with herself. He was always the type to put work above all else, family and friends included. 

 

Her mother scoffed at her question, pulling into a parking space harshly. "Fine." Hange made a mental note to get in contact with the man later, maybe set up dinner plans in a few days whenever he wasn't busy, which wasn't very often. 

 

Her motherly gathered up the books and catalogs that laid in the back seat into her arms. Hange climbed out of the small car in the meantime and began walking into the cute coffee shop. "I'm going to order, okay? Is just a simple coffee good?" Once her mother responded with a muffled yes, she opened the door and entered.

 

She greeted the teenaged boy behind the counter with a smile, taking in his ash-colored hair and bored expression. "Bonjour, qu'est-ce que je peux vous obtenir?" He stood up straight as she approached the counter, his expression brightening a bit. 

 

"Deux cafés s'il vous plaît." She requested kindly, feeling unfamiliar as she easily slipped into the language. She rarely ever spoke French unless she needed too, such as right now. 

The young man went to work on her order as if on autopilot, he almost seemed like he wasn't even paying attention. Not that he really needed too, as it was just plain 'ole coffee. She was sure her order was probably the easiest he had gotten that day. 

 

"avoir une dure journée?" He asked knowingly, scanning over her lazily. He leaned over the counter carefully to hand her the steaming hot drinks. She dug in her wallet and pulled out the money needed to pay him. 

 

She snorted in amusement as he took the payment from her. "est-il évident?" She asked with a raised brow, hearing the bell ring signaling her mother had stepped in. 

 

He responded with a simple nod, looking over her shoulder to see who had walked in. She thanked him quickly, moving to sit at a table near the window, placing a coffee in front of her mother. The woman plopped six different magazines on the table, grinning maniacally at her.

 

She sent a 'help me' look to the boy behind the counter who seemed amused by her situation. 

 

"So, since my maid of honor isn't here at the moment, I need you to pick out what you think is the nicest napkin holder." Her mother pointed to the catalog, guiding her vision to the dozen of options on the pages.

 

Hange felt confusion wash over form at the nonchalance of her mother's words. "Wait - maid of honor? I thought I wa-" 

 

"No, no, darling. Carla is my maid of honor." She brushed her off, not tearing her gaze away from the magazine. Hange couldn't help but feel hurt at her announcement, was she not good enough to be maid of honor? 

 

"Oh." She let out, forcing a small smile across her lips. "Uh, I like this one." She pointed towards a silver-colored circular ring that had intricate carvings along the entirety of it. 

 

Her mother frowned and wrinkled her nose in what Hange assumed was distaste. "Mm, I'm not a fan of that one. This one, however, is lovely!" She grinned widely, showing Hange which one she liked. 

 

With a soft sigh, Hange leaned back in her seat in defeat. There was no pleasing her, she was better off just remaining quiet. She was sure the woman wouldn't even notice. She took a gulp of the steaming hot drink, finding a distraction in the way it made her throat burn. 

 

Alcohol sounded fantastic right about now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Another update, not much happening in this one, but soooon~ 
> 
> I'm also sick and miserable, so that's been fun for the past few days.. :/Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed. Thanks for the support, you're all so sweet. <3


	5. Chapter 5

Levi stuffed his hands in his pockets, calmly making his way towards the elevator. He wasn't exactly sure where to go without his brunette friend, as there weren't many options for him. He could scour for a nearby restaurant, as he hadn't eaten yet but he wasn't feeling exactly hungry.

He absentmindedly pressed down the button that called the metal contraption up. Bringing out his phone from his front pocket, his face painted in boredom as he scrolled through disregarded messages. A few from Erwin asking how things were going. Hange's earlier picture she had sent him and his phone company telling him his payment was due in a few days.

He strolled into the small space lazily, blue eyes still glued to the screen, looking up briefly to press the button that would send him down to the lobby. 

[Hange] Kill me now. 

Levi huffed out a light breath, it was like the woman was physic and knew whatever he was doing. He typed in a few words hurriedly, stepping out into the cool air. 

[Levi] I'll do it but I need to know the reason why first.

[Hange] she won't stop talking about WEDDINGS.

[Hange] I don't care, Levi. I don't care about what types of fucking SILVERWARE SHOULD BE ON THE DAMN TABLE. 

[Levi] wow, sitting there for hours upon end listening to someone ramble about something you don't give a rats ass about... Must be rough.

[Hange] Are you implying something? 

[Levi] Yes. 

He shook his head, hiding his amusement well at the woman's usual antics. He pondered on whether to turn left and make his way towards the restaurant they had gone to yesterday or to continue further down to the right and explore a bit. 

He decided he would just let his feet guide him wherever. Yet another message from Hange popped up on the screen, Levi stared blankly at it. 

[Hange] I need alcohol right now.

[Hange] like, three times the amount I had yesterday. 

[Levi] Hell no. 

He couldn't handle another night with drunk Hange, sober Hange was a hand full as is. He raised a brow in thought as he pondered on what they could do tonight to keep her distracted from her mother. He looked towards the sky, noting that it was blue without a cloud in sight. A perfect day for outdoor activities. 

[Hange] I'm sorry for last night, btw. 

[Levi] It's fine four eyes. 

He hesitated to write his next message, not wanting to come across as him asking her out on a romantic gesture.

[Levi] Maybe we can do something else besides your dumb ass getting plastered. 

[Hange] Okay, I'm down. Do you want to go sightseeing after I'm done? :) 

[Levi] Sure. 

He wasn't exactly what that particular feeling he felt in that moment was. Excitement? Nervousness? Unlikely, he ruled out the emotions quickly. He couldn't remember the last time he felt either of those. Either way, it was ridiculous. 

He let out a sigh, continuing on his way. Tonight would be interesting.

-

Hange had met up with him during the peak of nightfall. She had told him to meet her someplace more than few miles down from the Eiffel Tower. She bounced up to him after exiting her Mother's small bug, a forced smile on her lips. "She's watching!" She muttered out through her teeth, still smiling wide. She gestured with her head towards her mother's car which hadn't moved from its place. 

Levi immediately greeted her with a tight embrace, grabbing her hands and squeezing as he leaned upwards. Hange squeezed back swiftly, indicating it was okay. She moved one of her hands around to the back of his neck as their lips met, and Levi moved a hand to rest on her hip. This one had been longer than the previous one, Hange mentally noted as she pulled away carefully. Levi looked towards her mother's car which was now leaving, before turning back to her. 

She shot an apologetic smile at him, walking ahead of him and gesturing for him to follow. It was then that Levi noticed they were still holding hands despite her mother being nowhere in sight. He slipped out of her grasp, examining her expression which didn't seem to falter at his actions. "Let's get moving, grump." She advised him, her usual enthusiasm apparent in her tone. 

"Oi, don't rush me." He grumbled out, following her despite his small protest. "How did things go with her today?" He asked dryly, looking up at her and catching her exasperated expression just in time. 

"It was like I was just a Barbie doll today, you know? Like I wasn't allowed as to so much even have an opinion on what I would be wearing." She complained, furrowing her brow forward in thought. "I'm almost twenty-nine years old, Levi." She stated with a humorless laugh. 

Levi couldn't be clear on how exactly to comfort the mentally exhausted woman. "You only have to be near her for a week and a half more." He tried lamely, falling flat.

She smiled at his attempt, nonetheless. "It's like - I miss her for a few months when I'm away from her. And then when I'm actually here, I'm reminded of how she actually acts when I'm around. She treats me like a damn floormat." She admitted in exasperation. "But, anyways, enough of that. We came here to enjoy ourselves, right?" She nudged him playfully, forcing a smile on her lips. 

He let out a small grunt and gestured with his head for her to look ahead. She followed his gaze and lit up like a Christmas tree as her bright brown eyes came upon the sight. "God, I swear it never gets old." She breathed out in amazement.

Levi took in the sight of the lit up tower in admiration, before slowly redirecting his gaze to the woman who stood beside him. His usually cold eyes softened at her awed expression. He allowed his pale eyes to linger on her for a few seconds, before turning back before she could question him. What the fuck was the matter with him? He sneered inwardly.

She suddenly pulled out her phone, a grin painted across her lips as she turned to face him. "It's picture time, Levi!" She announced, raising her phone to her face and pulling him closer by his shoulder. 

Levi frowned at the camera, while she smiled widely, throwing up a playful peace sign as she snapped the photo. "Look at how cute we look." She laughed, showing him. 

Levi remained silent as he snuck a glance at her screen. She pulled it away, assumedly posting the photo to her social media accounts. Levi buried his hands in his pockets, as they resumed walking. A gentle breeze flowing by, tousling his raven locks. 

"You look like an idiot," Levi muttered out, catching the way her hair blew in her face, covering her glasses entirely. He resisted briefly, before reaching out and tucking the hair behind her ears, revealing her surprised eyes.

"Thanks." She smiled, her previously widened eyes now returning to normal.

"Be quiet." He droned out as he looked off to the side, bewildered by his earlier impulse to fix her messy locks of hair. 

"Well, let's have an adventure then, huh?" She grabbed him by the sleeve of his coat, dragging him towards the landmark in excitement. He didn't make a noise protest, surprisingly. 

After climbing dozens upon dozens of stairs, they both found themselves leaning against the railing of the structure. Enjoying the rare silence between the two of them as they admired the lit scenery of the city. Behind them, groups of people rustled by, countless amounts conversations melded together. 

"You know, today she told me I'm not her maid of honor." Hange revealed with a thoughtful tone. "Guess I can't complain much, we both know I'm not the type anyway." She shrugged her shoulders once. "Plus, it gives me less to do."

"It's her loss, not yours." Levi retorted easily without hesitation. "Don't start feeling shitty over a mindless idiot. You're smarter than that." 

Hange felt a bubble of laughter begin in her chest, eventually, it escaped her lips in loud bouts. People stared strangely at her, but she didn't pay them any mind. "Did you just refer to my mother as a mindless idiot?" She asked between cackles. 

Levi's blank expression didn't move an inch. "Do you want me to apologize?" He let a small smirk tug at his lips. 

She shook her head quickly, still feeling humored. "Thanks for that. God, I don't even want to imagine what this trip would be like without you." 

"You'd be calling Erwin and I left and right. I'd hardly get time to even take a shit." He replied swiftly. "Or, you would let your anger and annoyance consume you and break a few tables and chairs to vent." 

She hummed before nodding her head in agreement. "Both of those things could have been likely." She admitted with a light laugh.

And with those last few words, they fell into a peaceful silence once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! Took a bit to edit because I was so damn sick, I couldn't even stop coughing long enough to focus on anything. :\ Hope you guys enjoy. Thank you for reading. <3 :)


	6. Chapter 6

"Free day!" Hange shouted loudly, throwing her hands up in the air over dramatically upon waking up. Levi smacked her harshly with a pillow in return, groggily opening his eyes due to her yelling. 

She let out a small grunt at the impact, brushing the item and his hand away swiftly. "Levi, do you not understand what this means?" She shook his shoulder in unconfined excitement.

"Do you not understand what personal space means?" He countered back gruffly, beginning to sit up on the bed, his back leaning lazily on the headboard. His hair stood up in several different directions, much like hers did. 

She snorted in amusement at his words. "We're sharing a bed, dear. Personal space is no more." She said as she hopped off the bed, stumbling over her feet as she grabbed her glasses and slipped them on. Levi swung his legs over the side of the mattress, following her begrudgingly. 

"Do you not understand what personal space means?" She mocked him upon seeing him enter the bathroom. She swiped her toothbrush with toothpaste. Her eyes were glossed over with laughter, he noted as he glanced in the mirror. 

He nudged her with his elbow, moving her over a bit to get to his own toothbrush. "You're taking up all the damn space." He muttered out, beginning to brush his teeth. 

She nudged him back roughly to annoy him, sputtering with laughter as she took in the line of foam across his chin. He glared darkly at her, remaining silent as he watched. She clenched her eyes shut and held her stomach in uncontrolled laughter.

Eventually, the toothpaste began dripping from her chin and Levi rolled his eyes at her. She came to herself a minute later, breathing heavily as she attempted to regain her composure. "You're a fucking idiot." He droned out, already having wiped his chin. 

She snorted, feeling giggles resonate in her chest once more as she came upon her appearance. "On a scale of one to ten, how attractive do I look right now?" She questioned, wiggling her eyebrows up and down at him. 

Levi stared blankly at her, taking in her hastily thrown up hair that was falling out of its tie. The bags that lay under her eyes, and the foam dribbling down her chin. Her eyes, however, were lit up with happiness, bright and widened as she waited for his response. There was no doubt that she looked like a mess and a half, but the playful smile that tugged at her lips and her cheerful eyes brought a certain charm. 

He wasn't about to admit that out loud, however. "Negative one hundred." He insulted her flatly, focusing on his reflection as he combed his hair down carefully. He heard her bouts of laughter once more, a smirk briefly showed on his lips before he hid it. 

\- 

Hange had made the suggestion to visit a small cafe she had gone to the day before with her mother. She claimed it was serene and quiet enough to have an actual conversation.

"You know what's weird?" She asked as they climbed out of the cab they had taken. 

"What?" He asked non-interestedly, glancing at her before scanning the seemingly quiet part of the city. A few lone strangers walked past him on the sidewalk, but there wasn't much noise or traffic like he had grown used to the last few days. It was a nice change.

"Well, how easy it's been for us to slip into this relationship role despite our differences." She admitted with a shrug, walking alongside him as they approached the door to the small coffee shop. Levi opened the door without a sound, allowing the woman to walk in before him. 

Levi raised a thin brow but didn't say anything in response to her observation. In truth, he thought it was weird as well

The teenager that had been working yesterday was here today as well, she noted upon entering. The same absentminded expression plastered across his face, his fingers drumming on the wood of the counter.

"C'est un plaisir de vous revoir." He perked up upon seeing her, standing up straight. "Qu'est ce que je peux vous servir?" He asked smoothly. 

Levi raised an eyebrow, shooting her a questioning glance. "un café pour moi et un thé noir pour lui s'il vous plaît." She ordered swiftly, turning to him for confirmation. "You're okay with drinking black tea, right? Or you can just tell me what you want and I'll order for you." She tilted her head as she waited for his reply. 

"Tea's fine." He told her assuredly. 

"Je vais le ramener sur." The boy offered nicely, gesturing for them to sit down at one of the rounded tables. 

"I wasn't aware that you could speak French." Levi said as he pulled out a chair and sat down, staring down the brunette. 

Hange placed her chin on her open palm, listening to the roar of the coffee machine as the barista made their drinks. "Yeah, picked it when I was little." She revealed with a content smile. For the first time in four days, she felt at ease, not having to deal with the presence of her overbearing mother. 

"Me too." He disclosed nonchalantly. Hange brightened at his words. 

"Well, I guess you learn something new every day, huh?" She spoke happily. 

The young boy approached their table gracefully, in his grasp two cups of steaming hot drinks. "ici vous allez, profitez." He smiled in a friendly matter, before leaving once again. But, not before hearing the low muttered words of how nice it was to not be faking their relationship. 

The young man made his way behind the counter once more, finding his close blond friend there as well. His head was down, blue eyes concentrated on the words printed on the book he had been reading for the last day. The shop hadn't been awfully busy the past few days, so they had some down time in the meantime. 

He nudged him softly, catching his attention. "Hey." 

Armin briefly looked up, startled at the abrupt interruption. "Shouldn't you be at the counter, Jean?" He asked in confusion, looking towards the front of the shop and noting the absence of an employee. 

Jean brushed off his concerns easily enough. "Nobody's coming." He told him non-concernedly, leaning his back on the counter space and staring off into the distance.

Armin merely shook his head, not in the mood to argue with the ash haired boy. "What are you so interested in?" He asked in curiosity, directing his pale gaze to where his close friend was. 

"Do you see that couple over there?" Jean asked in a hushed tone. Pointing across the cafe at the brunette and the raven-haired man that seemed to be in a conversation. 

Armin nodded, albeit bewildered. "Yes?" He tore his gaze away from the only people in the shop, throwing a questioning glance at Jean. 

"Do you see anything out of the ordinary with them? Like, do they seem like they're in a relationship?" Armin was beyond the point of confusion at this point. Jean must've been terribly bored if he was paying such close attention to customers. 

Still, the blond observed the two despite his uncertainty. He watched the way the female with an oval shaped pair of glasses laugh at something the man had said. The other looked on at her, almost admiring her in a shielded type of way. "Sure, Jean. I don't really understand what's going on, though." 

"They're not together. But, get this - they're pretending to be." Jean revealed with a slight smirk. "They look like they've been married for years." He said in slight amusement, a smirk painted across his lips.

"And why is this your business, again?" 

Jean sighed exasperatedly, lightly shoving the blonde. Who, in turn, playfully whacked him in the side with the book he held in his grasp. "It's just interesting, Armin. We barely get any action in here nowadays, so can you blame me for searching for things to amuse me?" 

Armin sighed softly, placing his book down. "Okay, so a couple here are pretending to date. Why are you so interested?"

"Because it's obvious they like each other." Jean gestured towards them. 

"Maybe they're just really good at acting." Armin shrugged, although he couldn't deny the fact that they looked fondly at each other. He hadn't interacted with either of them, so there was nothing much else he could've placed his guess on. 

"How much do you wanna bet that by the end of next week they'll be actually dating?" Jean challenged the younger boy with a smirk, poking him softly in the side. 

Armin hesitated, feeling wrong about eavesdropping on someone's personal life, especially that of a stranger's. "And how would you know? For all you're aware of, they'll never come back here again." He pointed out smartly.

"Just a feeling," Jean told him firmly. "So, you in or not?" 

Armin sighed in defeat. Whatever it took for Jean to get back to his job, he supposed inwardly. "Sure." 

"It's a bet, then!" 

 

-

 

"We should go suit shopping for you, you know." Hange suggested as they passed a few clothing store shops. "Of course, only the blackest of tux because God forbid you clash with the theme." She smiled teasingly, pulling on his forearm and stopping in front of a men's clothing boutique. 

"See, it's a sign." She proclaimed as she looked down at him. "What do you say, shorty?" 

Levi stared blankly at the sign, observing the expensive clothing with a scrutinizing gaze. "I don't think I have much of a choice." He submitted to her suggestion. Hange grinned, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him in the store excitedly. 

"Hi!" She greeted the man behind the counter cheerfully, still holding onto Levi's sleeve who looked on in apparent boredom. "My friend here needs a tux!" She notified the stranger eccentrically. 

The nicely dressed man made his way over to the couple with a kind, business-like exterior. "Ah, what's the special occasion?" He questioned with a thick French accent. 

"My mother's wedding, she's very particular so I'm putting a whole lot of trust in you." Hange revealed with a playful smile, finally letting go of the shorter man. 

The aging man turned his attention to the shorter male, scanning him over. "Would you be willing to do measurements?" 

Hange interrupted before Levi could speak, knowing what he would say. "Yes! Yes, he's completely okay with being measured." Hange placed her hand on the small of Levi's back, pushing him forward a bit. 

Levi glared daggers at both the man and Hange as the man led him towards a back room, tape measurer in his hands. "We'll be back in a bit, I'll make sure he looks as charming as possible." The man promised wholeheartedly, Hange could have sworn she heard Levi growl.

"I have no doubts." Hange smirked snidely, leaning against the wall as the two men disappeared. He's going to murder me in my sleep tonight, Hange thought nonchalantly, but it would be worth it. 

Ten minutes later, the pair emerged out of the back room, the man appearing prideful at the job he had done. Hange's gaze traveled to the raven-haired man. Scanning over the fitted suit that seemed to be made just for him. She let a small smile grace her lips, knowing that fussing over him would only serve to make him more agitated. 

"You look fantastic, Levi!" She complimented kindly, moving towards him. "Very sophisticated." She snorted lightly. The man gave a sigh, overlooking himself in the mirror. "Well, obviously this isn't my decision. What do you think?" 

He straightened his jacket, before smoothing it out. "It's nice." He managed out, unsure of what to say. 

"That's big coming from him." Hange told the man who worked there playfully. "We'll take it!" She stated without so much as a moment of hesitation.

"Oi, this shit is probably expensive." Levi flatly protested immediately, not caring if the owner of the shop stood next to him. 

Hange brushed off his words with a simple hand gesture. "It's the least I could do, for god's sake you flew out of the country for me." She pointed out. 

"Yes, but I also didn't pay for anything." Levi reminded her. 

"Just hush." Hange told him, determined to buy him the clothing. "Now go take it off so I can pay for it." She shooed him away, practically pushing him back into the small changing room in the back. 

"Your friend seems... Intimidating." The man started conversationally. Moving towards the register area so he could calculate the amount that the brunette owed him. 

"He is when you don't know him very well." Hange admitted with a small amused laugh. "But he's kind, despite his attitude problems." 

"Well, you two seem fond of each other." The man said absentmindedly with a small smile. He grabbed a thick plastic bag from behind the counter in preparation for when Levi returned with the suit. 

Hange could sense what he was slyly implying and decided to remain quiet. Her efforts would prove to be fruitless. Besides, she could see why some people would get a domestic type vibe from the way she and Levi interacted. She was beginning to notice it as well if she were being honest. 

But she came to the strange realization that she didn't mind it. 

She was growing used to being close to him. She had grown comfortable with the presence of him being in the same bed as her. Acting ridiculous in the morning, the banter that often ended in playful prodding. Their routine for the past few days was something she could see herself doing for days to come, and that startled her deeply.

She jumped, startled out of her thoughts as Levi placed the suit neatly on the counter. "Why do you look like you just shit your pants?" Levi questioned with a slightly raised eyebrow. 

"You wish you could look like this, Levi. You know, with the constant constipation problems you suffer from." Hange countered back easily enough. Choosing to ignore the bewildered expression on the aging man's face behind the counter.

The man mumbled the amount of money she owed, as she handed him her credit card. "You really did look nice, you know." She complimented him once again. 

"Not nice enough to warrant spending this much money." Levi replied monotonously, watching with a narrowed gaze as the man handed Hange back her card. 

"Oh, shush. Be happy you'll most likely be the nicest dressed guy there." Hange threw back, hoping to quiet his concerns. "And, of course, I'll be the prettiest. It's no wonder we make such a convincing couple when we're both so equally attractive." Hange smirked in clear confidence, motioning for Levi to retrieve the bag. 

"You're an idiot," Levi responded back flatly.

"You didn't deny that we weren't" Hange smirked at him knowingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooo! Another update! Hope you guys liked it, thank you for reading. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Hange lounged along the entirety of the queen sized bed. Limbs sprawled as she held her cell phone in one hand. Slender fingers rapidly pressing the keys on the dirty screen as she held the device above her head. 

The sound of the shower was playing distantly in her ears, reminding her that she wasn't alone in the hotel room. Levi had ventured into the bathroom about ten minutes earlier, leaving her in a contemplative silence. 

She figured it was about time she got into contact with her recently divorced father. She had been in the country for four days now and had yet to even inform him of the fact. So a few minutes earlier she had sent him a quick text for him to call her. 

He hadn't responded yet, so she was keeping herself busy by scrolling through her social media timelines. She felt herself missing her close friends and her home as she did so. She smiled and let out a chuckle at a picture of Mike, Nanaba, and Erwin posing quite obviously drunk at a bar. 

She snapped her head towards the bathroom door as she heard the handle jiggle in preparation for it to open. But, before she could see Levi walk out, she became distracted by her cell phone blaring in her hand. 

She answered immediately, choosing to ignore the other room occupant for the moment. "Hi, papa." She greeted happily, excited to hear her father's voice after a long absence. 

"Hello, beautiful." Her father greeted her back, his tone soft compared to her eccentric one. "How have you been?" He asked conversationally, after a brief pause. 

"Fine, I've been fine! Actually, I have something to tell you." Hange smiled widely, unable to contain her excitement at the idea of seeing the man again. She knew he would be bitter knowing she was only for here for the wedding, but she knew she could soften him up eventually. 

"You're not pregnant, are you?" Her father questioned, unsure. She couldn't help but cackle at his question, even the notion of that seemed ridiculous. 

"No, no. Nothing like that." She let out a few soft laughs, running her fingers through her hair which was down around her shoulders for once. "I'm actually in the city right now." She revealed softly, her eyes glancing towards her left where her eyes came upon a shirtless Levi. 

She felt her eyes widen, rapid heat spread across her cheeks as she took the attractive sight in. She let her gaze linger on him as he dug around in his bag, his hair dripping wet and clinging to his forehead. Inappropriate thoughts flew across her mind as he slipped on a navy blue shirt that clung to his form nicely. She suddenly felt repulsed as she realized her father was still very much on the line.

"I'm sorry, papa, you're going to have to repeat that." Hange cleared her throat. Unwillingly tearing her gaze from the sight, but not before catching the look of bewilderment from Levi. 

"I said you're here because of them, aren't you?" He queried with well-masked resentment, though Hange could hear right through it. 

She gave a small sigh, nodded her head even though he couldn't see her. "Yeah..." 

"Ah." Came his short response. "Well, how about I take you out for dinner tonight, and we can catch up? Sound good?" 

She felt a grin spread across her lips. "Yeah, of course! What time? Oh, and I hope you don't mind the idea of another person joining us." 

"As long as the person isn't your mother or that goddamn bastard she's marrying, I'm fine with it." He half-joked wryly. "Who is it, if I may ask?

"His name's Levi. He's, um, well, he's my boyfriend, actually." She told him unsurely, though hiding her uncertainty well enough. She wasn't sure if there was a need to lie about their relationship considering her father was nothing like her mother. She knew it was a long shot that they even talked anymore so there wasn't a chance that he would tell her of their arrangement. 

You don't want anyone who doesn't know you're not dating Levi to be aware of the fact, her subconscious taunted. She swallowed, furrowing her brow in thought before her father spoke in a surprised tone. 

"You're kidding?" Her father laughed happily. "Well, then, I'm anxiously waiting for tonight to meet him." 

Hange chuckled slowly, the earlier thought still lingering annoyingly. "Yeah, me either. He's amazing, I promise." She smiled to herself. Her gaze trailing towards the bathroom where Levi had once again locked himself in. "I have to go and get ready for tonight, but I'll text you in a bit for more details, alright?" 

"Okay, I love you. I'll see you later." He told her with a sincerity that made Hange pause.

"I love you too, papa, bye." She said softly, hearing a click indicating that he had hung up. She plopped her head down on the soft mattress, closing her eyes as she felt confusion come tumbling over her. 

Was she possibly feeling something more for Levi than she originally intended too? She could admit she found him attractive, and there was nothing wrong with that, of course. It was completely harmless. However, lying to her father about her relationship status when there had been no need too, was a bit much. 

Was it because she had felt a new sense of confidence in showing her family she could indeed pull off being in a steady relationship? But, she hadn't had self-conscious issues about how her family thought of her - or how anyone thought of her for that matter - since she was a child. 

Perhaps she just liked the thought of being and acting like a couple with the shorter man. She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration, before opening them and letting out an exhale to calm herself and her thoughts. "Hey, Levi?" She shouted for him, gaze still targeted towards the ceiling. 

"Hm?" He grunted out, poking his head in the room from the bathroom doorway. She felt herself relax at the sound of his voice, although she couldn't exactly pinpoint why. (More contemplating would surely occur later on, she needed to get to the bottom of things) 

"I made dinner plans with my dad, you're coming." She informed him easily, finally gathering the courage to look at him. Thankfully he was fully clothed now, his hair still a bit damp. 

"Great." He droned out, disappearing once more. 

Hange wrinkled her nose at his actions, mentally berating herself for getting worked up about a guy like him. He was a dick, who was brash and insensitive as hell. 

But he was also kind in his own weird way and had a strange sense of humor that was alike to hers. He knew how to comfort her, and knew when to bring her down from the bouts of anxiety she suffered from. It also didn't hurt that he was handsome, as well. 

He was one of the closest people in her life that she could depend on and trust, and platonic or not, she cared for him a lot. She was screwed, she came to the conclusion with an outward snort. 

-

"He said he'd be here thirty minutes ago." Hange frowned heavily. "I guess work got him held up once again." Hange laughed out bitterly, a sense of nostalgia waving over her at the situation.

Levi spared her a quick glance, crossing his arms over his chest. "No wonder you're so screwed up." Levi dryly jabbed at her, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. It worked, it seemed, as the frown lightened visibly. 

"You're such a dick." She laughed out slightly. "I should've known he would do this, though. It wouldn't be the first time, and I'm certain it won't be the last, either." She sighed out, smoothing back her hair in clear agitation. 

Levi brushed her hand away from her hair, feeling annoyance as it now appeared messy. "What's the comfort you get from looking like a slob all the time?" He narrowed his eyes at her, speaking monotonously. 

Hange grinned down playfully at him. "Well, expectations are significantly lowered when it comes to what I look like when I show up somewhere since people are used to it by now. Also, it's always nice to see someone genuinely surprised when I do actually put some effort into my appearance." 

He rose a thin brow at her words. "I don't think I've seen you put any effort in your appearance since I've known you." He told her contemplatively, mind searching for an instance in which Hange didn't appear as, well, Hange. 

Hange pointed a finger knowingly at him, a smirk plastered across her lips. "Ah! But you'll be surprised when I do, won't you?" 

Levi stared blankly at her for a few seconds. "Like the sky was falling." He droned out.

A black, shiny vehicle pulled up at the entrance of the hotel, windows tinted darkly. Levi couldn't make out the person that sat in the driver's seat, though he tried to with a scrutinizing gaze. "Right on time." Hange strolled up to the car, sarcasm dripping off of her tongue. 

She opened the door once she heard it unlock, climbing in it with Levi in tow. "You're late." Hange told him matter-a-factly, leaning over the seat and placing a chaste kiss on her father's cheek. 

"Nice seeing you too, my lovely daughter." Her father chuckled out, looking up into the rear view mirror to look into the backseat. "And nice meeting you, Levi. You must be a pretty special guy for Hange to commit to a relationship, huh?" He spoke of interest. 

Levi looked unimpressed at her father's statement. "Not at all. It's probably the other way around." He told him blankly, although not without trying to put a bit of emotion into his voice. He was awkward and not at all used to interacting with his friends' parents, there was no doubt about it. But he at least could try to put some sort of effort. 

"It's a combined effort, in all honesty." Hange chuckled out, feeling a sense of relief as her father drove non-recklessly, unlike her mother. They were complete and total polar opposites in every way. It was a shock that their marriage had lasted as long as it did. 

In under a half and hour, they had arrived at the extravagant looking restaurant. Hange's mouth gaped at the stunning sight, while Levi's eyes shone with uncertainty at the aspect of even stepping in the place. It was clear that someone that someone like him didn't belong there. 

Hange gave a smile of reassurance, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "Wow, you really went all out, huh papa?" She breathed out, stepping out of the vehicle, gaze still locked on the scenery. 

"Only the best for you, Hange. It's not every day you come to visit, is it?" He pocketed his keys, walking ahead and gesturing for the pair to follow him. 

"You're father's a fucking millionaire." 

Hange shrugged once, unsure of how to reply. "Yes...? No, maybe. I'm not exactly sure." 

"By the looks of it, he damn well isn't starving to death, four eyes." Levi scowled dryly, looking up at her. Her father had already entered the expensive looking building. They walked slowly side by side. 

With that, they walked in. Her father waiting patiently for their presence before they got properly seated. A blonde woman with her hair tied back guided them towards their table that overlooked the lit up tower. Hange's eyes lit up at the very sight. "Wow, it's gorgeous." 

"Isn't it? I've been out here for years and it never grows old." The man smiled, before turning his gaze to Levi. "I haven't properly introduced myself, have I? I'm Christopher Zoë." He held out his hand across the table, which Levi gripped tightly and shook. 

"Levi Ackerman." He responded slowly, taking in the man's appearance. His skin tone light unlike Hange's. His eyes a hazel sort of shade, glazed over by a pair of thick glass lens that sat perched on a hooked nose similar to Hange's. 

"So, Levi, what do you for a living?" His father asked in curiosity, though there seemed to be a cutting edge in his tone. 

"He actually works with me, that's how we met." Hange intervened quickly. "We've known each other for a long time." Hange shot a soft smile at the raven-haired man, it seemed genuine, Levi noted. 

"So, you've met my ex-wife, then? How's she been treating you, by the way, darling?" He turned his attention to Hange, with a furrowed brow. The brunette could sense that his conversation topics seemed forced; as if trying to one-up her mother in terms of endearment.

"She's, well, she's treating me normally." Hange laughed out lightly, drumming her fingers absentmindedly on the table top. "I don't think Levi's used to her personality quite yet.."

"She's nice enough once you learn to tune her voice out," Levi admitted without a care. His blunt honesty wasn't something he wanted to cover up, otherwise he'd be acting like a completely different version of himself. 

Hange's father laughed at his response, amusement swimming in his orbs. "Oh, trust me you haven't seen anything. You're lucky that the apple fell far from the tree when it comes to Hange. I'm certain that if you two ever marry, she won't make you sleep on the porch when you're late for dinner." 

"Marriage? Please, papa. We've only been dating for a few months." Hange brushed off his words with a snort. "And besides, she did let you back in at around three in the morning." She reminded him playfully. 

"And? People get married within a few weeks of knowing each other nowadays. Besides, Han, you're not getting any younger and I want to see grandchildren before I die." Her father teased playfully. 

Hange tried to shove away the image of an infant with dark locks of hair and light eyes far away from her mind. "You're so over dramatic." Hange rolled her eyes, forcing a slight smile across her lips. 

Levi adjusted his body in his seat, feeling an awkward air form around him. "I can just see little toddlers running around wildly, just like you did at that age. Hopefully, they won't inherit our terrible eyesight and bump into walls like you did when you were younger." Her father spoke in amusement.

Levi snorted slightly at the image of Hange running into walls as a child. "Real funny." Hange smiled, attempting to hold in her laughter. "Changing the topic at hand; how have you been?" She asked with a concerned frown. 

"Fine." Her father answered simply, looking unperturbed. She could see right through his facade, he seemed hurt and tried to play it off as nothing, as he usually did. 

She gave a thoughtful hum, before sporting a comforting smile. "It's okay to feel sad, you know? I'm sure no one will fault you for mourning a thirty plus year marriage." She reminded him carefully.

It was obvious he wasn't in the mood to discuss his feelings, so he swiftly changed the topic. "I'm aware, Dear. But, let's not talk about this right now." He cleared his throat once. "So, Levi, is this your first time visiting France?" He looked to the raven-haired man. 

Levi nodded his head once, confirming. "It is." 

Hange grinned widely at him. "I think he's just happy to escape from Washington for a bit." She teased him lightly. Levi looked indifferent, not protesting her words. "It's been fun watching him gawk over things, though."

"I do not 'gawk'" He glared at her briefly.

"You do too gawk." 

"You're just a blind idiot," Levi told her in a bored tone. 

"And you're a gawking clean-freak." She sang out with a bright smile. Hange's father merely watched the interaction in silence, observing the two of them.

-

The rest of the night went smoothly. They remained in a peaceful silence the entire ride to their hotel room, only a few occasional words here and there. that was until her father stopped her right before she got out of the car. 

Levi was already walking towards the hotel entrance, uninterested in their conversation. He knew the shared words weren't for his ears to hear, so he left them be. 

"You can fool your mother in the snap of a finger, but I know you too well to believe that act." Her father smiled at her, while she gaped widely at him. "He's a well-behaved man, though, a bit on the rude side, but I can see why you're close to him." 

"I-um, look-" she started aimlessly. "We're not -"

"Don't bother explaining, I know how irritated your mother gets you when it comes to your personal life. Just know, if you need any help with anything, I'm a call away." With that, he rolled up his window and drove away slowly, leaving Hange stunned and speechless. 

She should've known she wouldn't have been able to fool him. She huffed heavily, stomping her feet as she made her way after the shorter man. What had they done differently this time around?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not really feeling this chapter all that much. Next one should be interesting, though. ;) 
> 
> I've been super busy, so I'm sorry if this is sloppy. I hope you guys enjoyed, thank you for reading! :) 
> 
> (I think I'm going to be posting a few one-shots in the next few days, so I may or may not update next week. We'll see.)


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe he actually knew! No one has been able to tell so far! What did we do differently this time around?" Hange thought out loud as she plopped down dramatically on the hotel mattress. 

Before Levi could even form a reply the woman cut him off. "Maybe we should crank up the kissing aspect? Make up some ridiculously romantic getaway stories?" She hummed to herself, gaze glued to the ceiling in contemplation.

"What does that mean?" Levi questioned uncertainty. 

"We need to step up our relationship game, Levi!" Hange exclaimed determinedly.

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Levi droned out in boredom.

"If I knew I would tell you." She huffed out in defeat, turning to lay on her side and face the light-eyed man. She let her stare linger, admiring the way the dim light complimented his sharp features. 

She felt her cheeks grow increasingly warm as he tilted his head to meet her eyes. The room remained silent. Only the sound of their soft breathing resonating within the atmosphere. "Levi?" She sounded unsure, trailing off. 

He swallowed, tearing his gaze away . "Hm?" 

She rolled over onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows. She didn't understand where this sudden need to smash her mouth against his came from, but it was getting increasingly harder to ignore. She wasn't really sure on what to say in response to him, despite her initiating the conversation in the first place. 

"This is stupid." Levi murmured softly, head tilted upward inching closer to her face.

"You're stupid." Hange retorted back easily, smiling softly as she felt herself lean down against her will. Levi didn't seem to repulsed by her actions, as he moved his head up, meeting her halfway.

Their lips collided clumsily, her nose bumping harshly into Levi's. They choose to ignore their slip up. Hange let out a low noise from the back of her throat as Levi tugged roughly on her hair, pulling her face closer to his. 

Hange positioned her body entirely over his, hands now entangled in his raven locks. Their mouths parted open, tongues intertwining against one another. The room sounded with the sounds of lips smacking together and quick paced breathing. 

Hange sat up as they pulled away, straddling the older man's waist as she did so. She exhaled softly, cheeks warm and lips swollen, her hair an ever bigger mess than it usually was. Levi noted that he liked her looking this flustered. 

Her palms pressed open against his chest, sliding upwards ever so slightly. Levi craved the taste of her lips once more, as his hands squeezed her hips tightly in his grasp. She let out a small laugh at his impatience. She leaned down and captured his shirt collar in her grip, melding their lips together once more.

She flipped their positions easily enough, feeling his weight press against her. Levi let out a low hum as Hange rose her hips and pressed them up against his own, which in turn made her giggle out at his reaction. "What are we even doing?" She asked in amusement, a light smile plastered across her lips as her eyes examined the man above her. 

"Acting like idiots." Levi mumbled out, his lips brushing the skin of her neck experimentally. 

"We're probably going to regret this in a bit." Hange sighed out in dread, feeling the need to put her head in perspective. 

Levi stared up at her, eyes devoid of any emotion that Hange could read. "You're probably right." He sighed out, rolling off of her suddenly. Hange resisted the urge to pull him back towards her, missing the warmth and weight he provided. 

"Is this fake relationship getting to our heads?" Hange pondered out loud, with a frown. 

"Maybe." 

"Do you feel any different towards me?" She asked slowly, unsure if she truly wanted an answer, 

"Maybe, I don't know." Came his simple response. 

With those words spoken, Hange flicked on the TV swiftly using the remote. "Do you wanna watch some French dramas with me?" She asked happily with a raised brow, getting herself comfortable on the mattress. 

He leaned back as well, relaxing his form against the pillows as a woman wailed about her husband being killed on the TV. "I don't think I have much of a choice." He droned out slowly, before feeling her head lean on his shoulder, her wild hair tickling his cheek.

He tuned out the sounds, not paying any mind to the movie that was playing, but to the brunette that giggled each time she found something funny. Where did he expect their relationship to go from there, he couldn't be sure. But, he knew that whether they were friends or potentially more, he wouldn't mind either way. 

Just having her in his life was more than enough, he admitted to himself. 

~

That night, after Levi had resigned to sleep, Hange stood awake in restlessness. Her thoughts ran through her brain endlessly, keeping her lying awake with the cause for her insomnia slumbering next to her. She let out a quiet huff, adjusting her position carefully to lay on her left side instead. Not wanting to disturb the raven-haired man. 

She studied him with a softened gaze, he looked like years younger without the ever present scowl or frown tugging across his features. His black bangs fell limply onto one side of his forehead. She resisted the intense urge to push them back and run her fingers through the dark strands. 

She realized now that this entire ordeal had severely complicated things. 

Sure, her mother's dreadful personality would be subdued, but at what cost? Potentially her entire friendship she had worked so hard for with Levi? If she did have more than platonic feelings for the stoic man, and if this whole domestic setting wasn't just disorientation confusing her further, where would that lead them? In a happy, healthy relationship? But, if things didn't work out then things would never go back to normal. Like how they used to be.

Or perhaps they would, she couldn't be sure. Their entire outcome was just too unpredictable, in general. Maybe their personalities would clash too harshly in an intimate relationship, unlike how their playful friendship worked.

"Go to sleep, Hange." He startled her out of her reverie. His voice drenched in heavy exhausted and his usually sharp dialect slurred uncharacteristically. 

"Did I wake you?" She asked in a concerned hushed tone. 

He peeked one eye open, his usually dark blue irises appearing almost black in the moonlight lit room. "I can practically hear you thinking." He let out a soft huff of breath, closing his tired eyes once more. 

It was then she took notice of how stiff her body had become while she was lost in thought. He must've felt her tenseness, she came to the realization sheepishly. "Sorry." She apologized halfheartedly. And with a sudden surge of confidence, brushed back his soft bangs from his face in a gentle manner. "Can't help it." She added after a few seconds of silence. 

She was surprised that he was letting her touch him like this without an insult or a shove, it was unusual. "I know." Came his simple, tired response. 

She let out a small hum in turn, broadening her ministrations to his hair as she reached to the roots and just continuously ran her fingers through his once neat locks. It brought her a strange sense of peace doing so, and it seemed to do so for him as well as his breathing began to once again steady. 

She paused in surprise as he tangled their legs together in one swift motion, as well as nuzzling his head towards her shoulder. Eventually, his head came to a landing spot on her chest. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the scent of his shampoo. "Why'd you stop?" He mumbled out sleepily, his eyes not opening. 

She smiled, and let out a affectionate chuckle at the sleepy man. Apparently, Levi grew especially needy when he was sleeping or half asleep. She wrote that tidbit of information down in the back of her mind. "Sorry, Grump." She apologized yet again, moving her arm around his shoulder and bringing him closer.

She rose her hand to brush her hands through his hair. Feeling herself start to feel sleepy as well as her eyelids grew heavy against her will. But, she wanted to savor this moment for what it was. Truth be told, she found herself appreciating these peaceful moments more and more. Her heart clenched as she reminded herself that this wouldn't last. 

Once they got on a plane to Seattle, the act would be dropped entirely, and things would go back to the way it was before. She found herself debating on whether she really wanted it too. No, not at all. Her feelings for Levi were certainly growing in a different way than before. She would have to come to terms with that. It seemed like Levi felt differently as well, with the way he was pressed against her at the moment. 

"You're so cute." She mumbled into the night, nuzzling her nose into his hair. 

She would definitely be willing to try to pursue a romantic relationship with one of her closest friends, no matter how terrifying it seemed. If it meant she could hold him the way she did right now, anytime she wanted, while still maintaining their friendship foundation, she suddenly couldn't see why she did have any doubts in the first place. 

-

Levi awoke the next morning somberly, having had one of the best nights of sleep he had had in a good while. He blinked a few times, before pausing as he realized the predicament he was currently in. 

Hange's arms wrapped around him, and their legs overlapped each other, her legs surpassing his. He must have fallen asleep on her shoulder last night, he surmised, feeling embarrassment at his actions. They were supposed to be taking things slow, and he had went and passed out on the woman. 

Still, she didn't look as if she minded all that much, he noted as he gazed at her fondly. Her mouth gaping slightly as light snores drifted from her mouth. Her brow knitted together closely as if she were dreaming. 

Hange and himself were invited over to her mother's apartment today for a party she was throwing. He was more than dreading it. Elizabeth was nosey as hell, and just oblivious to her actions which annoyed Levi to no end. 

With a sigh and one last glance at the sleeping brunette, he sought off to the shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! I'm a bit late, but - I have a super good reason for that! I actually finished writing the last chapter to this story a few days ago! All that needs to be done is editing, and I'm thinking of updating twice a week now since there's no writing needing to be done. :D Hope you guys liked, thank you for reading! <33


	9. Chapter 9

"What exactly are we going over to her house for?" Levi raised a thin brow in question as they waited for their transportation to arrive at the entrance of the hotel. Hange looked up from her cell phone, her distracted gaze connecting with his bored one. 

"She's just having a party. I guess it's a belated engagement party, she didn't really specify." Hange explained to him offhandedly, typing in a few words on her phone. 

Levi scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest as a chilled wind brushed past them. His coat doing nothing to shield him from the frigidity of the city in late October. "Who are you talking to?" He queried disinterestedly, wanting to strike up some sort of conversation with the brunette. 

She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "Nanaba. Why, are you jealous?" She teased lightly, humor evident in her tone. 

Levi let out a small 'tch' sound, suddenly not wanting to talk to her anymore. Hange laughed at his reaction, moving forward to place herself next to him, he eyed her warily as she did so. "You know, you're super clingy when you're sleepy." Hange revealed with a small smile. 

Levi glared at her in annoyance. "At least I'm not fucking violent like you." 

"No need to get defensive, Shorty. I find it very cute." She commented brightly, she looked down at him with a gaze filled with a warmth, it made Levi look away. "Is this weird? Tell me if it's weird." 

Levi's expression remained blank as he took in her words. "No." He started out as he uncrossed his arms, feeling the urge to bring her closer to him. He grabbed her by the sleeves of her jacket, pulling her down enough to feel her breath dust his pale cheeks. "Is this weird?" He murmured out slowly. 

She responded by slowly inching her face closer to his, giving him more than enough time to protest or shove her away, before planting her lips gently against his for the briefest of moments. She pulled away from his lips, but still remained in a close proximity to his face. "Was that weird?" She asked breathlessly, searching his steely irises. 

Levi simply shook his head, no. Reaching up, he pecked her lips once more before finally pulling away from her completely as their car finally pulled up next to the sidewalk. "After you, handsome." Hange opened the door. Levi rolled his eyes and climbed in, she followed him shortly after. 

"Her apartment isn't too far away from here, from what she's telling me. I'm supposed to meet Nick's family too, apparently. I wonder if he has any children?" Hange pondered out loud, her hands placed neatly in her lap as she stared out of the window. 

Levi didn't bother talking back. Instead, he grabbed her cold hands and gave a squeeze of reassurance. Her contemplative expression didn't move an inch. Her brows knitted forward as if a disturbing thought had just crossed her mind. "I'm going to have a step-sibling." 

"You don't know that for sure." Levi pointed out blankly. 

Hange made a humming sound in slight agreement, seemingly. "You're right, but he's an old dude. Let's face it, I wouldn't doubt it if he were in the middle of a divorce as well." 

Levi glanced at her. "Who the fuck would wanna marry a creepy ass dude like him twice?" Hange snorted loudly in response, a grin tugging at her lips. 

"Hey, maybe he's just got that charm, you know? Obviously, looks aren't everything." Hange reminded him slyly.

"No shit. But, he didn't seem to have an outstanding fucking personality either. His laugh was enough to make me want to steer clear of him." Levi frowned in distaste as he recalled the man mocking Hange by laughing along to her mother's 'playful' jabs. 

"Sucks to be you then, he's going to be there in all of his glory, his Satanic laughter included." She smirked. "I'm sure he'll want to know all about his future stepdaughter's emotionless boyfriend." 

Levi scowled at the thought of interaction with the man. "Like hell." 

"Well, it's either that or my mother. Take your pick, babe." She laughed a bit. 

"You." He answered unwillingly, watching as a soft genuine graced her lips. "If I'm going to be stuck with anyone for the day, I'd rather it be you. But, if I had the option, I'd choose to stay far away from everyone." He told her flatly. Hange looked amused at his attempted romantic speech. 

"I'm honored and flattered." 

"You should be." 

She leaned her head against Levi's and let out a heavy sigh of breath, closing her eyes briefly before opening them once more. "How did we get here, Levi? I mean, we're casually kissing and hugging. I mean, you practically slept on top of me last night." 

When Levi stood quiet, she started again. "I'm assuming we're acknowledging we have feelings for each other. But where does that leave us? Are we together? - Do you want us to be together?" She questioned, moving her head to look at him clearly. 

"We're in a complicated situation right now, Shitty Glasses." Levi frowned in thought. Unsure of how to express his feelings without sounding like an absolute idiot. "Do you think it'd be a good idea to jump into a relationship right now while all of this shit is going on?" 

"Well, I mean, it'd definitely save us the trouble of lying to everyone." 

Before they could begin to discuss matters further, the car they were currently in slowed down considerably before pulling to a dead stop in front of a beautiful stone house with large picture windows. "Ah, looks like we've arrived." Hange announced with a faux tone of enthusiasm. 

"Fantastic." Levi scowled. "Let's get this over with, four eyes." He said in an almost dreading tone of voice as they began climbing out of the car. 

Hange lifted her hand and hesitantly rang the doorbell to her mother's house - the one that she once shared with her father. She didn't feel nervous, just dreading towards the evening she knew she would spend with her mother. She turned to glance at her shorter companion, his expression bored and his narrowed eyes stared straight ahead. "You ready, Shorty?" 

Levi snorted dryly, shaking his head. "Not like I have a choice." He said before the front door swung open to reveal Elizabeth in a sparkling gray knee length dress, her hair placed up in a neat up-do. She smiled widely at the pair, her brown eyes lighting up in happiness. "You're finally here! I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost or something." She exclaimed loudly. Levi carefully hid his scowl as she took them by the sleeves and dragged them inside the house.

Hange faked a nonchalant laugh. "No, our transportation ran a tiny bit late. Sorry if we kept anyone waiting."

"Nobody's arrived just yet, only Nick's son is here. I'd like you to meet him!" She guided the pair into the kitchen area, where Nick sat over the stove and a Blonde haired boy leaned over the counter, seemingly preparing food. 

"Armin, I'd like for you to meet my daughter, Hange." Her mother waved the blonde over, who wiped his hands hastily on the blue apron he was currently sporting. He looked up and appeared a bit stunned at her appearance. "Han, meet your soon-to-be step-brother Armin." She introduced them enthusiastically, grinning in a way that eerily reminded Levi of Hange. 

Hange held out her hand, sporting an easy smile. She wasn't too surprised to learn of Nick having children, in fact, she expected it. "Hiya, nice to meet you!" She chirped out, as Armin shook her hand slowly. 

This was the girl who was at the cafe a few days ago, Armin inwardly marveled at the coincidence. Wait - did that mean that her boyfriend that Elizabeth had been gushing about wasn't actually- oh boy. "Hello, nice to meet you as well." He spoke in a thick accent, a gentle smile gracing his lips. 

"And this is Levi, Hange's boyfriend." Elizabeth spoke again, gesturing to the shorter man. 

Levi's narrowed blue eyes took in the lanky blonde, noting the way he seemed shocked. "H-hello, nice to meet you as well." Armin stuttered under the intimidating gaze of the raven-haired man. 

Levi merely grunted in response, not bothering to shake his hand as he turned towards Elizabeth. "Do you need any help?" He asked flatly, not wanting to interact with Nick, Elizabeth or Nick's wimpy looking son. 

"Oh, um, sure! Just cut up some of those vegetables I left over there near the cutting board." She pointed towards the corner, turning towards her daughter as Levi began washing his hands. "Honestly Hange, you knew all of my friends were coming over and you didn't stop to think that perhaps you should dress more appropriately?" Her mother chastised her with pursed lips. 

Hange looked down at the pair of black slacks and loose flowing white button up, not seeing the problem with her choice of an outfit. "Is there a particular dress code I should be following for a house party that I'm not entirely aware of, or?" Hange knitted her brows together. 

"A dress, Zoe." Her mother sighed heavily. Hange wrinkled her nose at her mother's exaggerated actions.

"Mom, I'm twenty nine years old. I think I have the right to pick out what I'm comfortable wearing." Hange pointed out, before sitting down opposite of Nick at the kitchen table. "Besides, I didn't even have a dress to put on. I only brought along what I thought was necessary." 

"And a dress isn't necessary?" Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. 

"Not exactly. At least, not for me it isn't." 

Levi stood silent as he listened to the conversation, skillfully peeling off the skin off the carrots that were laid out for him. Hange's mother's voice was grating. He wasn't sure if that was how she actually sounded or if he just disliked her so much his inner being had distorted her voice. 

"Hi, Nick." Hange waved at the man cheerfully, choosing to ignore her mother for the time being by starting conversation with someone else. Nick didn't even look up from his phone, merely giving a wave at her and remaining silent. Hange stared him down, just to make him feel uneasy which hadn't seemed to work. He seemed intent to ignore her existence, actually. "So, Armin, how old are you?" Hange inquired curiously, after a few minutes of tense silence. 

"Seventeen. About to be eighteen, actually." He murmured quietly, stirring the pot of food absentmindedly. 

"Ah, how exciting." Hange smiled softly. 

Armin nodded politely. "Not so much exciting as it is stressful, if I'm being honest." He admitted with a small laugh. 

"Oh, I'm aware." Hange told him in an understanding tone. "It's an exciting time for change though. New scenery and environment, learning how to be more independent. I wish I were seventeen again." Hange placed her chin in her palm. 

Levi looked up, turning towards his faux girlfriend with a raised brow. "I bet you were a damn nerd who wore goggle glasses and quoted star wars any time someone tried to start conversation with you." 

"You're completely on the mark, Levi." Hange's mother interrupted before Hange herself could protest his words. "She also never combed her hair, and wore thick metal braces for her entire four years of high school." 

"Still didn't stop me from being asked to prom." Hange bragged snidely. 

Levi snorted, and before their banter could continue a shrill ring sounded through the entire house. Elizabeth clapped her hands in unconcealed excitement. "More guests have arrived." She sang out as she moved to answer the door. 

Hange sent Levi a look of exasperation at the woman exited the crowded kitchen. 

This was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! 
> 
> I should get off of my lazy butt and edit these quicker but I've been playing Mystic Messenger and writing a few other levihan things... I'm an asshole, I apologize. :P Also, the support last chapter was insane! Thank you so much to all those who left kudos and comments, it means so much to me!
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! Bit of a short chapter, next will be longer.


	10. Chapter 10

So, this is your daughter, Elizabeth?" A woman Hange had never seen before queried quietly, her long hair placed in a stylish ponytail. 

"Hi, I'm Hange. Nice to meet you." Hange smiled in a friendly manner, holding out her hand for the woman to shake. She hesitated for a brief second before her lips upturned and she grasped her hand firmly. 

"It's so nice putting a face to a name, Elizabeth never shows us pictures of you. Oh! I'm Lynne, by the way, I work with your mother." She introduced herself nicely, her French accent more than apparent. "Have you been enjoying your stay here?" She asked conversationally. 

Hange nodded her head cheerfully. "Absolutely! Everything is so gorgeous here, I've visited more than a few times but I swear it never gets old." She gushed in one breathed, her hands speaking along with her. 

Levi didn't bother listening to the rest of the friendly conversation. In fact, he tuned out each of the bolstering voices that were engaged in mingling within the crowd. He sat in the kitchen, having done all of the jobs he could do to keep himself busy as an excuse to not interact with anyone. He prepped, cooked, served, cleaned, before having no other task. 

All the while, Hange flittered from room to room, engaging others in conversation flawlessly without a second thought. He wasn't sure what was worse; his antisocial demeanor, or her overly social demeanor. It really wasn't an exaggeration saying that they were complete polar opposites. 

"You doing alright, shorty? You're looking kind of murderous." She teased him, dropping a heavy hand on his shoulder. She didn't seem to be slowing down or tiring from her highly eccentric behavior. 

He shot her a quick glare, before returning his pale gaze to his glass that held red wine in it. "There's so many people here besides me that you can bother right now. Go do that." He droned out, sipping his drink nonchalantly.

"Is someone jealous?" Hange sang out with a wide smirk. "Don't worry, my love, I've got eyes for no one else but you." She told him, punctuating her sentence with a wink that made both of her eyes close instead of one. 

Levi hid his amusement well but knowing Hange she could probably see right through him. "You're an idiot." He rolled his eyes. He softened when she placed a chaste kiss on the top of his head, her fingers stroking through the inky strands affectionately. His blue eyes wandered across the room, looking for her mother or perhaps Nick that she spotted.

"No one's watching." She reassured him simply, leaning away from him. "I just felt like you needed some attention." 

He scoffed up at her, glancing away from her amused gaze. "I don't need attention, what I need is to be far away from all of these people with huge sticks up their asses." He muttered out blankly. 

"They're not all that bad." She tried to convince him. "Most of them are, but not all." 

Their conversation was interrupted as Armin walked unsteadily into the room. "What happened?" Hange tilted her head as she observed him. He leaned heavily against the doorway, shaking his head. 

"I just got the air squeezed out of my lungs by your mother." He blew out a breath, before taking notice of the other man in the room. The blonde hesitated. It definitely felt wrong to know what he did, but he wasn't sure if he should come clean about it or not. He had weighed the two options throughout the last hour but was still undecided. 

On one hand; coming clean would do nothing but make his conscious feel better and in the meantime, make the pair uneasy around other people. But, keeping a secret like this would eventually start stressing him out, and he didn't want to appear strange in front of his 'step sister' within a week of knowing her. 

"You okay, Hun?" Hange sounded concerned, her brow knit together. Armin felt his cheeks begin to warm, he had been lost in his thoughts and probably looked insane. 

"I'm fine, sorry, just thinking." He brushed off her concerns, moving towards the refrigerator and grabbing a drink. 

Levi stared down the young boy, wondering what his problem was. "Ah, about what? Must be something serious if you looked so distraught." Hange peered down at him as he sat across the table, the blonde looked away from her gaze hastily. 

"I-it was nothing." 

"Oi, Four Eyes, leave the brat alone. He looks like he's about to shit his pants." Levi said dryly, casually leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs. Armin noted that he was the most intimidating person he had ever come across, despite his baby face and short stature. 

"Can I tell you both something?" Armin started unsurely, his blue gaze switching between the pair. 

"Sure, go ahead." 

"No." 

Hange brushed Levi off with a flick of her wrist, motioning for him to talk. "Ignore him, he's just upset that I'm not paying attention to solely him." She snickered out, earning a death glare from the man beside her. 

"Well, you two visited the cafe I work at a few days ago." He murmured out hesitantly, watching their expressions carefully. "My friend, Jean-" 

"Ah, is he the one that works at the counter?" Hange interrupted brightly. 

Armin nodded, not bothered by the intrusion. "Yes, that's him. Anyway, he overheard your conversation a few days ago, about faking a relationship. He came to me afterward, amused by the entire situation. It was then that I saw you both sitting at a table, the couple who were pretending to be-" 

"Shut your mouth," Levi ordered calmly, but his harsh words made Armin flinch despite his tone. "Or don't be so loud about it." 

Hange face palmed in disbelief. "Of all the people to know about us, it's Nick's son." 

"If you tell anyone-" Levi started threateningly. 

"No!" Armin held up his hands. "I won't, I promise. I just had to tell you both because I felt it was wrong for me to know without saying anything." 

"Thanks for telling us, I suppose," Hange hummed out. She debated on telling him that their relationship wasn't based on pure lies as it had once been, but decided against it. She and Levi were barely figuring out what they were, there was no need to bring other people into it. "As long as you don't say anything, it's fine."'

"May I ask why you're doing all of this in the first place?" Armin frowned in thought. 

Hange took a seat, grabbing Levi's glass of wine and downing in it one gulp. The man merely sighed at her actions, not bothering to say anything. "My mother is something else if you haven't already noticed. She's convinced I'm going to die alone, and so each time I visit she sets me up on a few blind dates." 

"I didn't want to deal with all of that, on top of the wedding and my father, and the drama of everything, so I brought along Levi. He's one of my closest friends, and he keeps me grounded when I need him too, that's the reasoning behind it." 

"I'm sorry." Armin apologized. 

"Don't worry your cute little head about it, what's done is done." She grinned at him. "Now, let's go mingle, shall we? You too, Grump." She pulled him up to his feet upon standing on her own. 

"Hell no." 

"Hell yes." She countered back quickly, dragging him out into the room by the hand. 

-

 

Levi let Hange drag him throughout the entire party. He had shaken hands with countless amounts of strangers that had invaded her mother's home. All he desired at the moment was a thorough hand washing and dumping himself in a gallon of hand sanitizer. 

"So, you both live in Seattle, is that right? How is it over there?" A bald man asked conversationally. Levi resisted the urge to roll his eyes and mutter 'fucking wet and crowded' but kept his snarky words to himself knowing Hange would most likely stomp on his toes if he did so. 

"It's nice, I've only ever lived there so there's not much else to base it on. But, I'm sure to someone's who's never visited it would be much more than that." Hange rambled out with a small smile. "But, we've got buckets of rain and space needles, so it's a pretty unique experience." She let out a small laugh, continuing on. 

"It's also ridden with homeless people." Her mother suddenly appeared with a light witch cackle. (Or, at least it sounded like that in Levi's mind) "I don't miss it one bit." She laid a delicate hand on both Levi and Hange's shoulders, settling in between the two of them.

"Do you need help with anything, Elizabeth?" Levi stared blankly at her, his tone calm yet bored. He silently wished she had made a disastrous mess in the kitchen while he was gone. He needed a reason to stay far away from everyone. 

"Oh no, I can't ask you for any more help dear. You've done more than enough." She shook her head frantically, along with her hands, appalled at the idea. Levi mentally sighed, not wanting to resort to pleading. 

He simply nodded once, turning back to the man he and Hange had been conversing with. During the time he'd been distracted, Hange had managed to drag him into a conversation about tarantulas. The guy was increasingly paling and looked severely uncomfortable. Levi let a tiny smirk grace his lips, pleased at the outcome. 

Levi tuned out her words easily enough, staring ahead blankly. He was accustomed to drowning out her loud tone by now. The poor guy who was now stuck in a conversation with her about the digestive system of a lizard, however, wasn't. Poor bastard. "Hey, Levi." She tried to catch his attention, his blue eyes caught hers. 

"Hm?" He hummed lowly, not bothering with words. 

She had a mischievous smile painted across her lips, her brown eyes glinting behind the oval lens of her glasses. "I need your help with something, want to help me out?" She asked innocently enough. Levi raised a thin brow in question but nodded his head despite his uncertainty. 

She began to move towards the staircase, gesturing for Levi to follow as she looked back at him from over her shoulder. Levi glanced behind him quickly, before following her up the steps at a decent stride. What could she possibly need up here? Levi wondered inwardly. His pale gaze taking in the photo frames along the walls of Hange as a child with pigtails and a toothless grin. 

"I was adorable, right?" She waited for him on top of stairs, her hands placed on her hips.

"Something like that." He muttered as he reached her. She grabbed his hand with a sly look, leading him towards the end of the hallway. He looked ready to protest but quieted as she opened up a door and shoved him inside roughly. He poised himself to scold her before stopping abruptly and looking around. He narrowed his eyes as he realized that they were in a coat closet. 

"The fuck, four eyes?" He turned towards her for an explanation, staring at her with crossed arms. 

"Oh, come on, shorty. You can't honestly tell me that you were enjoying yourself down there, can you?" She said exasperatedly, huffing out in slight irritation. She moved closer to him, the mischievous glint back in her eyes. Levi stood still, watching her carefully. She leaned down, tilting his head up by his chin, his harsh eyes connecting with those of hers. 

"Are we going to make out in your mother's damn closest?" He murmured as his gaze shifted to his lips which were dangerously close to his own. 

She shrugged simply. "Do you have an issue with this?" 

"No." Came his simple response. 

She smiled down at him, and he took the opportunity to pull her down and connect their lips, his hand pulling on her collar. She laughed against his lips, but that didn't deter him a bit as he deepened it further. She walked forwards, stopping once his back met the wall with a quiet thud. Her hands moved to the back of his neck, her fingertips grazing the shaven portion of his hair, moving upward and entangling her fingers in his inky locks. 

His hands settled on her hips, teasingly lifting up her shirt, his chilled fingers brushing against her warm bare skin. She let out a soft moan against his mouth, pressing her body feverishly against his. He deepened the kiss, feeling like his skin was on fire as he explored her mouth eagerly. They broke apart in quick pants, attempting to regain their breath as Hange laughed breathlessly. 

She grasped his cheeks in her palms, forcing him to look up at her. "You're surprisingly good at that." 

"I'm not sure whether to be flattered or offended." Levi droned out plainly, a tiny smirk present on his lips. 

"Probably both, honestly." Hange admitted openly, pecking his lips once. 

The door opened suddenly, and the two froze in their places as the dim light drifted into the dark space, highlighting their stunned features. A blonde haired boy walked further in, before gaping as he noticed their presence. He stuttered, flustered as his pale gaze came across them. 

"Uh- oh- I- um- s-sorry!" He exclaimed clumsily, slamming shut the door once more. They remained silent as they heard running footsteps echoed throughout the hall until they slowly faded away. 

Levi stared unimpressed at the door, while Hange burst into uncontrollable laughter, letting Levi go as she hunched over. "His f-face." She managed out through her giggles. Levi merely sighed, leaning his shoulder and weight against the wall. 

-

The party closed off non-eventfully. Guests began to take their leave, and Levi and Hange were among the last to bid their farewell as they traversed towards the door. Nick, Armin, and Elizabeth following in tow. "Thank you for helping out so much, Levi." Elizabeth cooed out. "You're a gem." She complimented him with a bright smile. 

"Don't mention it." He droned out in a bored tone, wanting to get far away from the woman and her fake appreciativeness. He admitted that he willingly did all of the chores she had bestowed upon him, but she had taken advantage of him as well.

"You're such a ladylike fellow." Nick bolstered out, slapping a heavy palm on his back. Levi glared viciously at him, resisting the intense urge to strangle the man in front of his son and fiancée. "You're probably better at cleaning than Elizabeth and Hange put together. It's impressive." 

Hange faked a chuckled, wrapping an arm around Levi's shoulders and pulling him away from the older man. "I think our ride's here, actually. It was great seeing you again, Nick. Also, super good meeting you Armin! You threw a nice party mom." She smiled and waved as she dragged Levi down the stairs, who merely stared straight ahead, not wanting to look back. 

"I fucking hate him," Levi growled out upon climbing in the car, strapping on his seat belt. Hange followed suit, sending him an amused smile in the process. 

"Thank you for not saying that to his face." She laughed loudly, imagining the scene that would have occurred afterward. "You've shown a lot of restraint, and I appreciate that. I know how hard it must have been for you not to stomp on his toes to show your 'manliness' or the like." She praised him softly, her brown eyes bright behind the oval lens' of her glasses.

Levi rolled his light eyes, his gaze catching the scenery outside of the window. "Will you shut up?" He asked blankly, glaring at her when she squeezed his side playfully in response. 

"Can you believe that Armin walked in on us almost sucking each other's faces off after telling us he knew about our situation? Poor kid must be so confused." She changed the subject and snorted at the thought. The blonde haired boy seemed sweet enough, nothing to that of the awkwardness level his father possessed, but still a bit so. She thought he seemed sweet, so she sympathized with the boy for having to deal with her mother all of the time. 

"Serves him right for eavesdropping on strangers conversations." Levi redirected his vision to the brunette beside him, fixing the glasses that laid crookedly on the bridge of her nose. 

"He wasn't the one who eavesdropped, Levi, his friend did. Besides, what was the likeliness of the strangers being the daughter of the woman his father is engaged to along with her friend-but-not-so-friend who also happens to be her pretend significant other? Not all that likely, I'll tell you that much." Hange rambled out eccentrically. Levi merely raised his brows a bit in reply.

 

-

[Armin] Jean. 

[Armin] You'll never guess what happened today. 

The blonde teenager typed a few texts to his friend tiredly. His blue eyes barely staying awake but he felt the need to give details to the ash-haired boy anyway. He'd promise to tell him about how his day had gone, so he couldn't just go ahead and break it. 

[Jean] What? 

[Jean] Did your dad pee his pants again or something? ;P

Armin let an amused smile grace his lips, shaking his head a bit at the response. 

[Armin] No, Jean... 

[Armin] Remember the couple we saw at the cafe a few days ago? Th brunette with the glasses and the scary looking one?

[Jean] of course I do, the fake married one, right? 

[Armin] Sure. Anyways... The girl is actually Elizabeth's daughter, you know, the one I was meeting today? The guy was with her too. 

[Jean] NO FUCKING WAY??? Dude.

[Jean] did you tell them that we know? Please don't tell me you told them, Armin...

[Armin] I had too.

[Jean] goddamnit, Armin.

[Armin] I'm sorry? Why would I need to keep it a secret anyway?

[Jean] Now we've lost our chance to mess with them. :(

[Jean] But it's okay, you little shit. :P you're lucky you're cute, you know.

Armin fidgeted at the words, hating the way the older boy made him flustered with his teasing nicknames and faux flirtatious behavior. He shouldn't have been blushing, but he couldn't help the fact that he was. It didn't help that he wasn't sure how exactly to respond to the text, either. His thumbs hovered over the keys hesitantly, doing a dance of sorts. 

He decided to be a bit daring, sparing in the ongoing conversation further.

[Armin] I'm cute, huh? :3 

[Jean] Very. 

He swallowed in nervousness, before typing in his message. 

[Armin] Well then, I think you're cute as well. 

[Jean] Do you, now? ;) We can be cute together then.

Armin was uncertain as to what exactly those words implied and brushed them off as Jean being teasing as always. Either way, once again, he wasn't sure on how exactly to respond so he merely stared at the bright screen for a few minutes in thought.

[Armin] Haha. :P

[Jean] Out of things to say Arlert? 

[Armin] Hush. :P You make me flustered. 

[Jean] I'm sorry. 

[Armin] You're not sorry at all.

[Jean] Yeah, you're right, I'm not.

[Jean] It's because you look adorable when your cheeks are bright pink... I don't feel guilty at all.

[Jean] But as much as I'd love to continue this conversation further, my mom's nagging me to clean up the kitchen so I have to go. :\ 

[Jean] I'll see you at work tomorrow. Good night. :) 

[Armin] Night, Jean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple chapters left! :) 
> 
> I'm thinking of starting another one, I've been writing the outlines for it so we'll see if I can stop being lazy and actually write it. Of course, it's another Levihan modern AU because I'm weak. Anyways, thank you for reading! Hope you liked it. :) <3


	11. Chapter 11

A few days passed by eventfully. Hange continued to be driven mad by her mother and her very particular taste in decor and things similar. She hardly even found the time to have an actual conversation with Levi without her mother needing her presence, or her calling in hysterics because something hadn't been the right shade of gray. She was more than exhausted at the end of each day. 

She and Levi hadn't even had the privacy to discuss their relationship thoroughly. The most they interacted was during the night when they were both passed out, and curled comfortably against one another. Or when Levi kissed the daylights out of her before she left each day. 

"Hey, I'm leaving again." She called out as she exited the bathroom, seeing Levi rustle in the sheets indicating he was waking up. "I left you some money on the drawer if you need it, okay? I'll only be gone for a few hours today, she's got a date with Nick or something like that." 

"Oi, come here." A voice droned, drenched in slumber that hadn't yet faded. She smiled at the tone, not being used to seeing him sound so vulnerable. It was a welcomed change, and she was certain she'd miss it once they went back home. 

"Something the matter?" She questioned, striding up to the bed and standing directly in front of him. He reached out and placed his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her down and mashing their lips together. She smiled into the kiss, sliding her fingers through his hair before pulling away. 

"As much as I wish we could continue, she's downstairs and stressed out. Makes for a very impatient mom." She snorted lightly, placing her forehead against his for a brief second before pecking him on the lips once more and retreating from the mattress. She waved eccentrically as she made her way out of the room, noting Levi's annoyed expression. Definitely needy when he was sleepy, she thought in slight amusement. 

She strolled out of the hotel with an extra skip in her step. She couldn't help being so giddy considering the parting gift she had been given. Even despite the rough upcoming day she would have to spend with her mother. "Hi, mom." She greeted upon slipping into the passenger seat. 

"Good morning, my daughter! I've got more than a few errands for you to run for me today." She told her cheerfully, pulling out and steering onto the street. She zoomed past cars carelessly, and Hange resisted the urge to dig her nails into the armrest beside her. 

"What are they?" She asked in a curious tone, her gaze redirecting itself from her window to her mother.

"Just a few minor things. Nothing too extravagant." She brushed off her concerns easily. 

As it turns out, four hours later of running through her mother's list of things to do, they were anything but minor. She felt drained and exhausted, but content that the things that needed to be done were all finished with, meaning that they were out of mind. All that was really left was decorating the venue, which was Elizabeth's friend's job (Hange didn't know what decor was if it hit her in the face) and the actual wedding. 

This meant that her schedule would be cleared up now, equaling more time to spend with the shorter man who was back at the hotel. She felt sorry for him, due to the fact that she had practically dragged him to an entirely different environment and left him by himself for long periods of time. He told her he was fine, that he had been exploring the city more and more each day, but that didn't stop her guilt from stirring. 

"I'll see you the day after tomorrow. You can do whatever you please tomorrow, but no eating anything out of the way. Your cheeks are chubbier than I remember them being. Cut down on the snacks, Dear." She warned without even glancing at her, a frown prominent on her lips. 

Hange nodded her head along, not paying much mind to her words due to the fact she had grown used to it already. "Okay, I will." Hell no. "I'll talk to you later. Text me if anything!" She told her upon climbing out of the car, shooting her a reassuring smile over her shoulder as she began to traverse back in her hotel room. 

She couldn't wait to get back to the room and just talk to the raven-haired man without any interruptions or distractions. She strode into the elevator and pressed the button with the number '7'. She waited patiently for the machinery to glide up to her floor, tapping her foot all the while. Once it let out a ding, the doors slid open steadily and she eccentrically ran down the hall and knocked repeatedly on the wooden door considering she had forgotten her keycard. 

The man swung open the door slowly, a bored expression painted across his features. "You're so noisy." He droned out blankly, letting her in. 

She grinned widely at him in return. "You missed me, don't even try to hide it." She teased him, as he closed the door behind her. She watched as he shook his head at her antics. "Good news, by the way, I'm free the entire day tomorrow and I fully plan to spend it sucking your face off." 

"Sounds like a good way to spend a day." He told her blankly. 

"It definitely will be." She promised with a smirk, holding his chin in between her fingers and guiding his face towards her own and nuzzling her nose against his affectionately. He frowned but let her do as she pleased, his eyelids becoming heavily lidded as he stared into her sepia irises. They both stood silently as they just lingered in each other's presence.

"I don't doubt it." He murmured lowly, connecting their lips slowly. It was soft, unlike their previous kisses, and they both decided that they enjoyed this just as much as the others. 

 

~

The next day came quickly enough.

Levi and Hange sat near the head of the bed on the floor, the latter being laid across on her stomach with her legs kicking in the air, the former with his legs crossed neatly. They each held a deck of cards in their hands, having nothing else better to do considering it was downpour raining outside. Hange had dashed to the hotel's small gift shop downstairs and snagged a pack of cards to give them something to do in the meantime. 

"You know, four eyes, I don't understand how you grew to be... Yourself having been raised by your parents." Levi brought up casually, his pale eyes darting to her before lowering to the numbers on the cards once more. 

Hange snorted out an entertained laugh at his attempt at hinting at the obscurity of her parent's personalities. Her mother was a steamrolling, eccentric, loud woman who knew how to get what she wanted by way of manipulation. Her father was a soft-spoken, intelligent man who preferred to drown himself in work rather than attend his daughter's tenth birthday party. 

"You should've should've known me in high school." She smiled, putting down her card. "I was this lanky and nerdy ball of rage who everyone was just weirded out by or scared shitless of." She told him with a small nonchalant laugh. 

"What changed then? You're still weird, I'm not denying you're not, but the rage part is gone for the most part." He placed down his own cards with triumphant eyes. Hange muttered incoherently as she handed him five dollar bills. 

"Once I branched out and settled into college I learned that living my life in anger and insecurity wasn't a correct nor healthy lifestyle. I found a group of people I could identify with and gradually became comfortable in my own skin and personality. I adapted in an environment that was far away from my parents, and I preferred staying away from that point on." She rambled out while re-shuffling the deck of cards tentatively. 

"Don't get me wrong, I mean, I love them both. But, I think it's better for not only me but them as well if I just visit them for the holidays or have a nice phone chat every once in a while, you know?" She continued, and he nodded in understanding in response. 

"More than you know, shitty glasses." He droned out.

"Hey, I know this may seem sudden - or perhaps not considering our recent endeavors, but I would like to know where exactly our relationship stands at the moment." She addressed the elephant in the room carefully. "I just - the last thing I want is for us to hop on a plane back home and never talk about this again. You know, kinda like the Christmas party whe-" She was interrupted by the man before she could finish her sentence.

"Shut up, asshole." He told her firmly, earning a sheepish look from the brunette. "Fine, let's talk then." 

Hange brightened visibly at his consent. "I'm assuming you have feelings for me by now. I mean, how could you not after earlier today." She grinned slyly, her glasses glinting in the dim lit room.

Levi rolled his eyes at her. "You'd be correct in assuming so, four eyes." He admitted with a dry tone.

Hange cooed at him affectionately, earning a death glare in return. "That's so cute, Levi, I thought I'd never see the day you'd be admitting your feelings to someone, nonetheless to me of all people. I like you too, of course." She confirmed and laid a hand on his thigh, her smile reaching her expressive eyes. 

Levi felt himself soften at her happy expression, feeling a bit uneasy at where this conversation would be heading. He knew that Hange understood him well enough to know he wasn't the most articulate person in the world. He was efficient at working and reprimanding others for their wrong doings but he wasn't the soft-spoken person you needed to be in order to sustain a long-term relationship. 

"Levi, I know what you're thinking. And I don't expect for you to do a one-eighty and change your entire personality by being in a relationship with me, in fact, that's the thing I least want. I like you just the way you are, stick up the ass and all." She reassured him lightly, laughing at the scowl that was painted across his features. 

"Charming, really." He droned out. 

"I thought so!" She teased him, before turning serious. "I don't want this stupid act to end once we return to Washington. I want to continue kissing you, and hugging you, and all of the other things that come with being with you. But, I don't want us to stop arguing, or bantering, or insulting each other in the meantime." 

"Good." Came his simple reply. He grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her closer. She hummed contently and snuggled close into his side, ducking her head beneath his chin. The cards lay discarded on the floor near their feet, all but forgotten as they relished in the quiet pattering of rain on the hotel window pane. 

Hange couldn't recall another moment in her life when she had felt so happy and content before, and she secretly wished she could savor it for as long as possible. "Wait until we tell Erwin we're dating. What do you think his reaction will be?" She pondered out loud, moving her head in order to look at the raven-haired man. 

"He'll either be slightly upset, or creepily happy." Levi chimed in blankly. 

"I bet they all had a betting pool on how long it'd take, you know?" 

"Those fucking bastards. If they did, we're getting more than half of it." He furrowed his brow forward in annoyance. 

"I doubt they'll settle for that." Hange pointed out.

"I'll make them settle for it." He stated in a non-negotiable tone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell this was hurriedly edited? Because I sure can! :| 
> 
> Anyhow! For those who celebrated thanksgiving, I hope you had a good holiday filled with polite family members and good food. Also, last chapter I said I was thinking of writing another story, and I actually sat my butt down and wrote the first chapter and in the middle of writing the second. Still unsure about posting it once this one's done. (Btw, only two more chapters to go whaaat??) We'll see! 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who read, hope you enjoyed! :) <3


	12. Chapter 12

"Sit up straighter, my love." Her mother advised discreetly, leaning over the table a bit as she did so. Hange did as she was told, straightening her posture correctly without a fuss. Her mother was particularly irritable today, which was understandable considering it was the day before her wedding and her dinner rehearsal. 

"Nice cravat, by the way, Levi. Very sophisticated." She complimented with a nod of approval. Hange trailed her gaze from her mother to the man who to her right. A small smile tugged on her lips as she took in the way he held himself. He seemed to be much more suited to be in this type of scenario than she was, he even helped her pick out a dress and shoes for the occasion. 

"Thank you." He acknowledged her solemnly, with a blank and bored gaze. 

"Hange, your aunt is supposed to be arriving soon, you know." Her mother revealed with a slight sneer, which made Hange bewildered. Was this news a good or bad thing? Her Aunt and mother shared a strained relationship; they had since she could remember. But, overall she knew that her mother would want her only sibling at her wedding. Right? 

"Oh, really? I can't wait to see her, I don't think I've seen her since she came over for Christmas before you guys moved out here! How old is Sasha now?! About seventeen or eighteen, right?" She exclaimed excitedly at the aspect of seeing her younger cousin after so long. They hadn't been very close at a young age, what with her being ten years older than her, but they developed an older-sister-type relationship as they grew older. 

"Something like that." Her mother hummed disinterestedly, swishing around the red wine in her glass. "She arrived yesterday, and she messaged me saying that she would be here in half an hour." 

"Awesome!" Hange grinned. "But, you don't seem all that excited to see her." Hange tried to pry in curiosity. 

"She's not on the best terms with her sister at the moment." Nick peeked up with a look of nonchalance, taking a sip of his drink shortly afterward. Levi glanced at Hange, curious to see her reaction; which was indifferent, surprisingly. 

"Oh, what happened this time?" Hange frowned as she questioned her mother. "My mother and her sister don't get along most of the time. It's nothing new." She told the raven-haired man in a hushed tone as her mother took the time to huff in agitation. 

"She's not in favor of me remarrying so quickly. Not that it's any if her business in the first place." Hange grimaced inwardly. This would surely make for an eventful evening. 

In that same moment, a couple new faces made themselves known as they walked in the restaurant that her mother had rented for the night. Hange instantly hopped to her feet, practically skipping over to greet her aunt and cousin happily. "Aunt Mel, it's so good to see you!" Hange enveloped her in a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around the tall woman tightly. 

"Oh my goodness, look at you!" The woman squealed out with a laugh, her warm brown eyes wide in disbelief. "I can still picture you as a six-year-old with pigtails, Han!" 

"Considering I still look identical from back then, I don't doubt it." Hange laughed out, giving her one last squeeze before moving on to her cousin who was watching the exchange with a grin on her face. "Geez, look at you, Sasha! You're not a baby anymore, huh?" Hange breathed out, hugging her just as tightly. 

"Not exactly," Sasha admitted with a small playful shrug. 

"Well, let's sit down and eat!" Hange guided them to seats a few down her hers, directly across from Armin and his friend that he had brought along, the same one that had been eavesdropping on her and Levi's conversation earlier in the week. Levi had been glaring daggers at him all night for the very fact. 

"Yes, I'm starving." Sasha moaned as she sat, and Hange sat back in her previous seat next to her boyfriend. 

"Elizabeth." Her aunt acknowledged in a cold manner. 

"Melanie, nice of you to attend." Her mother responded in an equally chilled tone. 

Armin cleared his throat, attempting to brush away the tense air that had blanketed over them in just a manner of minutes. "Hi, I'm Armin, and this is my friend Jean" He introduced himself and the ash-haired boy next to him to the teenaged girl that sat in front of him. 

Sasha smiled with a mouthful of food, hunched over her plate. "I'm Sasha, nice to meet you both!" She swallowed and looked up at him, "hey, are you going to finish that?" She pointed to the food on Armin's plate.

"Oh, uh, I guess not." He gestured for her to take it, hiding his surprised expression swiftly. 

"Oh, Aunt Mel, let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Levi." Hange spoke up and gestured to the man that sat beside her. For the first time since being in the country, she had said that without lying to someone's face. Although, technically she was lying about lying, which was a mind full of thoughts she didn't want to delve into at the moment. "Levi, this is my Aunt Melanie! She's the reason I'm obsessed with anything related to plants." 

"Nice to meet you, Levi! Hange used to love gardening with me. She wasn't much help and liked pulling out my petunia's but for some reason, I loved her anyways." Her aunt joked easily, while Elizabeth looked annoyed. 

"Nice to meet you as well, I probably would have kicked her ass if I were you," Levi said in a dry tone. Hange's eyes darted to her mother's face who seemed surprised at the vulgarity coming from his mouth, while Melanie merely let out a small laugh. 

"Trust me, it was tempting." She admitted offhandedly. "So, how long have you both been dating?" 

A day and a half, Levi thought inwardly. 

"Six months, but we've known each other much longer." Hange answered without missing a beat. 

So far, so good.

For the next ten minutes, things had settled down considerably. Her mother and her fiancé had engaged in a deep conversation with a couple she hadn't been introduced too. Armin and Jean were speaking in hushed tones, occasionally they would engage Sasha in conversation about what it was like to live in America, but the teenaged girl was much to partaken in eating to be bothered. Levi kept glancing at her occasionally, sipping at his drink and watching the disaster unravel in well-concealed amusement. He would give her hand a squeeze of reassurance every once in a while. 

"My sister here has been married for twenty years, isn't that right Melanie? They've considered divorcing, nobody's perfect!" Elizabeth tried cheering up her friend who seemed sulked at the table, Hange presumed from her relationship troubles. 

Sasha gaped at this, turning to her mother with wide eyes. "You and dad considered divorcing?" She echoed in disbelief, placing down her fork and turning to face her mother properly. 

Melanie paused, flustered at the sudden change of conversation. "We - no, not anymore, we're not." 

"Why didn't you tell me that things were that bad?" Sasha frowned and resisted the urge to raise her voice. She couldn't remember a single instance where her parents had ever had an extreme argument that could have led to them debating whether or not they should remain together. Had she been that oblivious? 

"Because I didn't want to drag you into it - Look what you started you witch." She hissed fiercely at her sister, her hands slamming down on the table. Armin jumped, startled by the outburst. 

"I didn't start anything, Mel. I merely stated facts that you just so happened to shelter your child from, what kind of bad parenting is that?" She scoffed visibly, turning towards her friend who she was previously talking to. 

"You're talking about my bad parenting? That has to be a fucking joke, Elizabeth." The other woman laughed openly. Hange and Levi looked back and forth as the argument transpired, the former carefully weighing her options on whether or not to break it up. "Why don't you tell Hange about all the times you snuck strange men in the house while Chris was away on business trips? How about the fact that when and Nick was together in the beginning stages of your 'relationship', you were seeing another man? How's that for bad parenting?" She snapped in a booming tone. 

Nick suddenly excused himself from the conversation he was having with a few of his friends, staring at her in shock and disbelief. "You cheated on me?" He inquired slowly, putting down his glass of whiskey. 

Elizabeth stammered, not having the time to properly gather her thoughts. "Yes, yes she did." Melanie swooped in before she could form a proper defensive sentence. "That's why I'm so against this stupid wedding." 

"That's enough!" Hange interjected with a stern glare on both sides. "Can everyone just settle down for a few minutes? This isn't the time nor place to be shouting about a situation like this." 

"You won't have to worry bout that, I'm leaving. Armin, ride home with Jean." Nick huffed angrily, storming out of the restaurant in a flourish. A few of his friends followed closely behind him, and the table fell into a deathly stunned silence as they all stared at the entrance where he had departed. 

Armin hesitated before standing to his feet, Jean following suit. "I'll go and talk to him, don't worry." He tried to convince Elizabeth with a small smile of reassurance that seemed more than forced. 

"I don't think this is a good idea, Armin. He's drunk off of his ass right now, he's not going to listen to you, or any of us for that matter." Jean frowned in thought, but a look of surprise and shock grew across his face as Elizabeth rose from her seat and grabbed a half-eaten cupcake in a harsh grasp. They all knew what was coming as the woman smacked the dessert across her sister's face. 

Hange's mouth fell open at her mother's actions, her brown eyes wide as saucers as she watched the icing drip from her Aunt's face who attempted to blink open her eyes to no avail. Sasha furrowed her brow forward in clear agitation at the assault of her mother, and stealthily scooped a spoonful of ice cream up. She closed one of her eyes on and focused on her target; Elizabeth. 

She pulled back the spoon and swiftly let go, flinging the frozen treat towards the older woman. Unfortunately, Elizabeth moved at the last second, and the teenaged brunette could only watch in horror as shot missed its target completely, and instead planted itself on her cousin's terrifying boyfriend's face. 

Armin and Jean winced outwardly, resisting the strong urge to cower before him. Elizabeth seemed unaffected, still in despair, it seemed over her soon-to-be husband as she sulked in her seat. Hange immediately leaped into action, gathering three napkins all at once and attempting to wipe down her significant other hastily. She failed in doing so and made it worse in fact. 

Levi pushed her hands away with a low growl, his face dripping with vanilla ice cream. He grabbed a loose towel from her hands and wiped his face in a menacing manner as his narrowed eyes glowered dangerously at the company before him. "Listen to me, you bunch of fucking idiots." 

Hange held in the bouts of laughter that threatened to escape her throat. He continued, "you, little shit and blonde kid, go outside and try to get back in contact with that creepy bastard. You, Elizabeth, need to get your shit together, you better come up with a brilliant speech if you want to pull this one off. As for Hange and I, we're going to go back to the damn hotel room so I can change out my cold and dirtied clothes. If dumb and dumber aren't able to reach him, we'll meet up back here and go look for him together." He ordered out coldly in a manner that had everyone listening intently. 

"Uh, yes sir." Armin cleared his throat, following directions and grabbing Jean by his sleeve and jogging out of the dim lit restaurant without looking back. 

"Mom, everything will be okay, I promise. Levi and I will spend the night with you to keep you company in case he doesn't come back, but he will don't worry!" Hange rambled while Levi seemed displeased at her idea, yet went along with it anyway. 

"It was nice seeing you Aunt Mel, you too Sash! Sorry, the night ended how it ended." She apologized with a slightly sheepish look before Levi dragged her out of the restaurant by the hand in agitation. 

"Your family is much more entertaining when I'm not actually here," Levi noted dryly, as Hange heaved a heavy sigh in response. 

"You looked so handsome too, such a shame." Hange pouted, moving his bangs which were sticky and stiff. "My family's sort of insane. When I was ten, my grandmother tossed a full cooked ham into my grandfather's lap because she didn't agree with his opinion about her brother or something along those lines."

"I'm used to insane, four eyes. I've been friends with you for years." Levi raised a thin brow. 

"Yeah, but I've never directly coated you with ice cream before, in my defense." Hange countered. 

"No, but you have spilled scalding hot coffee in my lap." 

"Is that worse?" 

"Yes, you fucking idiot." 

-

 

"Armin, where does Nick go when he's upset?" Hange inquired in hopes to locate her mother's fiancé. They had all went walking along the streets after Nick had refused to answer his phone. It was around nine thirty at night and the darkness had long enveloped the beautiful city streets. The blonde boy looked contemplative for a few passing moments. 

"He usually just visits Elizabeth when he's angry, so I'm not too sure," Armin answered truthfully, with a slouch of his shoulders. "When I was younger he used to bar hop with his friends, meaning that's that's our most likely probability." 

"So, we're just going to search through every god forsaken bar in Paris? Isn't there something else you can provide us with?" Levi huffed out impatiently, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"What's that place your dad always is always going on about? Dawk's, is that it?" Jean spoke up, looking towards the shorter blonde for confirmation. Armin opened his mouth in order to speak but was promptly cut off. 

"Great!" Hange interjected before the blonde could reply, clapping her hands together once. "Let's get going, then. Lead the way, Armin." She gestured for him to move forward with her hands. 

"Wait - what are we supposed to say to him if we find him? I don't think he's going to go willingly, to be honest." Sasha commented with a furrowed brow, leaning her weight onto one side. "Oh, by the way, I'm really sorry about covering you in ice cream, Levi. It wasn't meant to hit you." The brunette apologized sheepishly, letting out a nervous chuckle in the process. 

"I'll think about forgiving you once you pay for my dry cleaning, brat." Levi scoffed out blankly, his stoic gaze intimidating the young girl. Hange elbowed him in the stomach lightly, in turn causing him to glare darkly at her. 

"I'm not sure where to go from here. Jean, do you have a phone GPS we could use? Mine's dead." Armin watched as Jean reluctantly pulled out his mobile device out of his back pocket. 

"Fine, but you're paying for any overcharges, Arlert." Jean halfheartedly joked, typing in the name of the bar they were going to make their way towards. The small group sat in an anticipated silence as they waited for Jean to start guiding them, Hange practically bouncing on the heels of her feet in the meantime. 

"It's this way." Jean pointed towards the street ahead of them, his gaze not moving from the lit out screen. "It's actually not as far as I thought it would be. Looks like your dad isn't as crazy as he looks." Jean smirked, glancing briefly at his friend in time to see his slightly affronted expression. "Sorry." He apologized after a moment passed. "You don't look anything like him, I promise." 

Armin resisted the urge to roll his pale eyes at the ash-haired boys fumbling, squashing the thought that he found it endearing. "We should hurry if we want to try to communicate while he's not plastered and still knows his name." He suggested slowly.

They all nodded in agreement and began to traverse forward with Jean in the front, guiding them. "What's going to happen if he refuses to go through with the wedding tomorrow?" Sasha brought up after a few minutes of calming silence. 

"Well, my mother would most likely cling to me, move back to Seattle, make my life a living hell, change all of my home decors and - oh god Levi we can't let this marriage fall through, Jesus Christ." Hange's eyes widened visibly in apparent horror.

"We'll drag that bastard back by force if it comes to that," Levi responded simply. 

"You're not going to kidnap him, are you?" Sasha set her lips in a straight line, afraid of the answer she would get. 

"Of course not!" Hange intervened quickly. "Well, I mean, at least, not at first we won't." She amended her statement, trying to ignore the disturbed look that was plastered across Armin's face. 

"Well, kidnapping or not, I'm pretty sure we're going to return to a crime scene once we come back." Jean whistled lowly. "They looked ready to pounce when we left." 

"They're always like that." Sasha frowned in thought. "Hey, Hange, remember when they pulled out each other's hair at thanksgiving because my mom forgot to cook the turkey 'cause she thought your mom was in charge of it." Sasha gave a small amused laugh at the memory.

"I try not too honestly. However, I will admit that I find the way they fight fascinates me. There's no mercy, and certainly, no guilt is shown when one or the other does manage to get injured." Hange spoke in a slightly awed tone of voice, which caused Jean to eye her warily. "It's like the circle of life, you know?" 

"...Sure," Armin responded hesitantly. 

"Looks like we're almost here, fellas," Jean announced, looking up from the pixelated map on his phone. "Just a few more minutes." 

And with those last spoken words, they concentrated on making their way towards the small pub that Nick often visited when he was having a rough day. They narrowly avoided the drunken idiots that lingered on the streets, hinting that there was, in fact, an alcoholic providence nearby. 

And just like Jean had ensured them, they soon came upon a small wooden building with a neon red sign that read 'Dawk's' in bolded font. Hange's expression was that of determination as she set her gaze on the entrance of the bar. Levi's cold eyes wandered to the brunette beside him, taking her cold hand in his own and giving it a squeeze in reassurance. She sent him a grateful smile in response, her worry and doubt that clouded her busy mind slightly fading.

"This wedding will be happening tomorrow if I have anything to do with it." She promised outwardly. "Let's do this, cutie." She cooed at Levi, dragging him into the doors of the place, the others following closely behind. 

Sasha was the one who managed to locate Nick in the midst of the crowd, he sulked over the bar island, a glass filled with a honey colored liquor in his hand. Levi rolled his light eyes, traversing up to him in order to just get things over and done with. The quicker they amended things, the sooner they got married. The sooner they got married, the sooner he and Hange could return home. 

"Oi, Nick." Levi droned out, catching the older man's attention. 

The man in question turned at the sound of his name, grunting upon seeing who it was. "What do you want?" He grumbled grumpily, taking a quick swig of his drink.

"What do we want?" Hange echoed in disbelief, walking up next to her boyfriend. "We want you to come back, and talk everything out with my mom. Nick, look, I completely understand why you're so upset right now, but you're getting married tomorrow, and in order for a marriage to succeed you need to be able to put your pride aside and talk things through. I haven't seen her this happy, in well, forever. Just come back to her house, I'm sure she'll explain things properly there." Hange gave a sigh, ending her speech. 

"I should've known she wouldn't be faithful. She cheated on her husband with me for god sakes." Nick growled out angrily, his fist clenching around the glass tightly. 

"Look, we can do this easy way or the hard way, which do you prefer, Nick?" Levi questioned in a bored tone, his unwavering cold gaze set directly onto the man in front of him. Sasha, Armin, and Jean shared looks of uneasiness behind him. 

"I'd prefer for you to mind your own damn business, shorty," Nick answered him irritably, his eyes darkening. 

"Dad -" Armin started but was interrupted shortly after speaking. 

"Hard way it is." Levi huffed out in exasperation, pulling the man roughly towards him by his collar. "You're going to make up with Elizabeth and have your damn wedding, or else I'll beat the shit out of you. Hange will participate as well, and trust me, she has a mean sucker punch." 

"Get off of me." The man struggled, hissing as he did so in seething anger. 

"No, not until you agree to talk." Hange responded before Levi could. 

"Dad, just do it. I know you love Elizabeth, so maybe talking will fix things with her. If you're still not happy with things afterward, you can leave and never look back." Armin intervened, pushing his way towards his father through the small crowd that had gathered around them. 

"No." He shouted stubbornly. 

"You're coming with us," Levi told him, roughly pulling him out of the pub forcibly. The other four followed after him quickly in order to not lose him in the midst of the other people occupying the place. 

-

They arrived at Elizabeth's house by cab. The teenagers had gone into the kitchen to find something to eat while Hange and Levi were leaning against the headboard of the bed in one of the few guest rooms her mother had. "Think they'll make up?" Levi asked with his head in Hange's lap. 

"Mm, tough to call, honestly. But, I think I'll place my bets on them getting married tomorrow." Hange hummed out, running her fingers through his hair as she stared down at him. Her glasses slipped down her nose a bit, but she didn't bother putting them back in place. 

"They're both shitty people, so it wouldn't be surprising if they did." Levi rolled his eyes briefly, Hange shook her head in amusement at his words. 

"She's trying her best." She tried to defend her mother lamely. 

"By doing what? Bringing out secrets and smashing dessert in people's facing, and on top of that, cheating on three men at once." Levi countered calmly, his lips set in a straight line. "She's a shitty person." He stated in distaste. 

"To be fair, you also forcibly dragged an old drunken man here against his will, so I wouldn't call you a good person either." Hange smirked playfully down at him. 

"I never said I was a good person. Besides, if we're going to go there, you stunk up the fucking bathroom this morning and that should be a crime in itself." He flicked her forehead with his index finger, an irritable expression painted across his pale features. 

"Hey! I warned you beforehand about it." She rebutted instantly, and he shook his head up at her. 

"You're disgusting." He told her, and she let out a loud laugh at his words. Silence enveloped the small room as they both thought about what to say next. "You deserve to be treated better than how she treats you," Levi told her after a moment of debation.

Hange let a warm smile that reached her expressive eyes grace her lips, she opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by a rather disturbing noise. A sound that sounded eerily similar to a - "oh my god." Hange said in realization as the noises began growing louder. "They're doing it!" She exclaimed in loudly in disgust. 

"What?" Levi sat up in disgust. 

"You heard me! That's moaning, oh god." She managed to get out through her uncontrollable laughter. "It's been ten minutes!" She wheezed to him, clutching her stomach. 

"This isn't fucking funny, I'm leaving before they have a chance to finish." He told her firmly, beginning to stand up.

"Give Nick some credit, Levi. It's only been a few minutes." Hange snorted in amusement at her joke, her eyes still squeezed shut in laughter. 

"You're the stupidest person I know." 

"You love me anyway." 

"Unfortunately." 

"Wait - what?" Hange stopped laughing, instantly turning serious as she stared at him wide-eyed. Levi froze in his place, non-believing that he had just said that in front of her to her face when they had only been dating for a little over twenty-four hours. 

"Nothing, are you losing your damn hearing now?" Levi growled out defensively, his light eyes becoming void of any emotion as the mask he often wore became intensified. 

She grinned cheekily at him, climbing towards the end of the bed where she stood on her knees. "You just admitted you loved me, Levi." She said in a sly tone. He glared daggers at her childishly, not willing to give into her teasing. 

"No, I didn't, you fucking -" 

"It's okay, Dear." She assured him with a small smile, placing a hand on his shoulders. He softened a bit at her touch, still clearly on edge. "No need to be so embarrassed, I love you too." She confessed softly. "I think that I have for a while, in fact. It just took us actually acting like a couple to realize it, which is the strangest thing honestly and -" 

"Hange." He interrupted her ramblings, she looked quizzically at him in response. 

"Huh?" 

"Shut up." 

And with those words he pulled her in a soft kiss, his hand pulling her face closer by her messy ponytail, Hange allowed a smile to grace her lips in the midst of the kiss. That was, until, yet another moan that sounded similar to a scream broke them apart from one another. "Ew." Hange cringed visibly. 

"Fucking A," Levi muttered unhappily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why, hello there~! One more chapter left to go. Honestly, I feel like this story is super sloppily written, and that's okay because I know that this was really good practice for me. I've never completed a story before this one, I always start'em, but never finish, so I'm extremely pleased with myself. 
> 
> As I've said before, I'm writing another Levihan story, I'm already three chapters in and I like the way it's coming along. Once I'm finished with this story, I'll post it on here. I'm gonna be honest, I don't know when I'll have time to update next considering I've been super busy lately with the holidays and all that jazz. I'm going to aim for the middle of the week, since the next chapter is just a small closing chapter, you know? :) 
> 
> Thank you all for viewing, leaving kudos, and your wonderful comments that brighten my day! You've all given me the motivation to continue writing and get better. <3


	13. Chapter 13

"How do I look?" She bounced out of the bathroom with a bright smile, twirling clumsily in order for him to him a nice view of her dress. 

His bored gaze softened as it came upon her, admiring how pretty she looked in that moment. The sunlight that came in from the window to their right graced her tanned features delicately, and Levi refused to admit that his insides felt like jelly at the sight of her bright eyes. "Beautiful." He managed out, feeling choked. 

She brightened at the compliment, letting out a boisterous laugh that made his pale cheeks colored. "God, I can't believe you just told me that." He rolled his eyes at her words, moving closer to her and grabbing at her chin to make her look down at him. 

"You're missing something, dumbass." He stated matter-a-factly, watching as her brown eyes flickered in confusion. 

"What?" She tilted her head. 

"Your shitty glasses."

She looked surprised to hear him say that before her expression melted in a nonchalant exterior. "Ah, I was told specifically not to wear them for the evening." She rolled her eyes, looking more than annoyed as the words tumbled from her lips. 

"And you're going to follow those orders?" He raised a thin brow.

She let a smirk grace her lips. "No." She shook her head, leaning down to peck his lips swiftly. "I think I've been insulted and pushed around enough. It's my turn to rebel, you know?" 

He nodded, hiding his content expression carefully as he broke away from her embrace. He glanced at himself in the tall mirror that stood in the corner of the room, adjusting his cravat accordingly. "Is she done yet?" Levi asked blankly, just wanting to get this occasion over and done with. 

"I think so." Hange answered unsurely, moving to the drawer to grab her black framed glasses. She slipped them hastily up her nose, the blurred colors becoming familiar shapes once more. "Shall we venture downstairs, my Dear?" She offered him her arm, which he took after a moment of contemplation. 

~

The wedding ceremony was long and strenuous. Or, at least it was in Levi's bias perspective. He sat discontentedly next to Jean, the tattling teenager from the coffee shop, and Hange's moody aunt. His light eyes spotted Eren swinging his legs back and forth impatiently, occasionally a loud whine would escape his lips before his father would scold and shush him. His mother, Carla, sat next to Elizabeth quietly, a warm smile gracing her features as she watched the ceremony progress. 

And most important of all, the woman he found himself unbelievably in a relationship with, stood tall and graceful next to her. Her dress had become wrinkled somehow in the midst of everything, and her hair was beginning to become undone from the braided updo Elizabeth had done. The thick glass lens that her mother had threatened her to keep off sat proudly on her face, magnifying her chocolate colored eyes. 

Levi tuned out the grating voices of Nick and Elizabeth with refined skill. Their seemingly endless vows continuing forth, blabbering on and on about how much they adored one another. Hange waved at him in a not-so-discreetly manner, the raven-haired man gave her a blank stare in return, shaking his head slightly at her actions. She was practically glowing as she stood up. A bright smile plastered on her lips as she watched the couple with a mixture of genuine happiness for her mother, and relief that she wouldn't have to put up with her if everything hadn't worked out. 

Now, after this, they would both be flying home come tomorrow, and they would be walking into unexplored territory. He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous about somehow screwing everything up. He didn't have much experience in relationships, so he wondered if his brash tongue would get him into trouble eventually. Would he even be able to handle Hange's messy lifestyle that she clung onto? Taking a glance at her, and the way she exasperatedly winked at him as he did so, gave him the answer he wanted; absolutely. 

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride." The officiator stated loudly in order to gain attention, and Levi glared in boredom as the couple embraced and captured each other in a brief kiss. Elizabeth's eccentric giggling rang throughout the church as they broke apart, along with clapping and cheers. Levi looked to his right where Melanie sat and watched her stoic expression while Sasha smiled and clapped. 

The ash-haired teenager next to him reluctantly began clapping, his eyes glued to a particular blonde boy, before leaning toward the raven-haired man slowly. "How long do you think they'll last?" He smirked, voice coated in a thick French accent. Levi rolled his eyes, not wanting to be bothered. 

~

"I can't believe you didn't get anything to keep you busy during the plane ride. Again." Hange shook her head, and Levi tore his gaze away from the window to look at the disheveled brunette that sat next to him. 

"I don't see anything in your hands either, shit head." Levi pointed out knowingly. And with those words, she let a sheepish expression grace her features. 

"Well, I was hoping you'd snag a book or a movie or something because I forgot too." She admitted with a light chuckle, the light from outside catching her lens. 

"Guess I'm stuck socializing with you for the next eleven hours. Great." Levi droned blankly. Hange caught the playfulness in his tone and snorted at his words, messing up his hair carelessly by ruffling the inky locks. 

"You love me, shorty! Admit it, you wouldn't have it any other way." She boasted confidently, while he glared at her darkly, attempting to fix his hair. 

"Are you fucking high?" He hissed slowly at her, and they both caught the look that the mother in front of them turned and gave them. Hange smiled apologetically, while Levi glared daggers at her in return. 

"Language, dear." Hange chided playfully. "And to answer your earlier question, no, seeing as we haven't taken off yet. " 

"You're an idiot," Levi responded to her swiftly. 

"Also, does being high off of happiness and love count for anything?" Hange added, pointedly ignoring her grumpy boyfriend's words.

"No," Levi answered her dryly. "Oi, did you even eat anything before we left the hotel?" He asked her, remembering how she had run into the shower upon him ordering breakfast to their room. 

"I ate a bag of chips. Why, are you worried about me, my love?" She teased him, nudging him with her elbow.

"Of course I am, idiot." He answered her back in a softened tone.

Hange smiled warmly at him, grabbing his chin and placing a kiss directly on his lips. "I appreciate you worrying about me, but I'm okay! Trust me, I've gone way longer without eating a proper meal." 

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" He raised a thin brow in question. 

"Of course it is!" 

Suddenly, a voice over the intercom sounded calmly, instructing each passenger to fasten their seat belts and turn off any mobile devices they'd brought along with them. They both hastily did as they were told, and Hange leaned back in her seat comfortably waiting for takeoff. Levi slipped his hand into hers, and she turned towards him only to see his light gaze directed towards the window, his chin in his palm. 

She felt endearment at the sight of him and squeezed his fingers. One thing was for sure, she would forever be grateful for her mother's meddling ways because if it weren't for her, she was sure this moment wouldn't have been the way it was right now. Perhaps she would have been seated next to a crying child, or a foul-smelling elderly person, and for that she was thankful. 

Would she ever tell her mother of her fibbing ways? No, probably not. Had their rocky relationship improved over the course of two weeks? No, it hadn't - if anything, it had worsened. But, she didn't regret coming for once and that was something she could finally admit to. 

"You know, you're kind of cool." She spoke suddenly, her tone glazed over with laughter. 

He looked back at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "I guess you're alright." 

No, she thought, no regrets whatsoever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The eeeeeeend~! Hope you all enjoyed reading this silly little fic that was hastily written and edited. I enjoyed writing it, and I'm more than happy to provide more fluffy Modern AU!Levihan who aren't in the midst of a war, watching their close friends all die off one by one. :) 
> 
> Thank you all who read, left comments, and kudos. You're all so great, and I never expected this story to get half as many views/comments/kudos as it did. <333 :)

**Author's Note:**

> First multi chapter story I'm posting here!
> 
> This probably stinks, and that's okay because I'm practicing. I haven't written an actual story that wasn't a one-shot in about... a few years now. Yikes. 
> 
> If you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments are much, much appreciated. :) <3


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